MICRO-CONCERTO

for Piano & Orchestra 1986

David Hellewell

This piece was written for James Torniainen, then aged ten, who was an outstanding student at the “M-D” Music Academy, Bournemouth where he studied with the principal, Monica Hellewell. The work was first performed by James and the Christchurch Youth Orchestra in October 1986, and has since had many performances by Youth and professional orchestras in England and abroad, including performances (together with the related Rhapsody for piano & orchestra of 1987 and other works) in Beijing in 1990 at a festival of Hellewell’s music, conducted by the composer, with the Chinese pianist Zheng Yang and the Central Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra which was also broadcast on TV and radio to great acclaim.

This short work, of 7 minutes duration, is in one continuous movement, and embraces a variety of styles and influences including Jazz, Rock, Afro-rhythms, and Classical an Romantic idioms. As well as conventional percussion instruments there is a jazz drum kit, bongos and conga drums, and ethnic instruments such as Cabassa, Cuica, Vibraslap, Guiro, Agogo bells and others.

There are many interconnected, interactive sections, the headings of which give an indication of the variety of expression within this short concerto. These include: Light and Funky; Appassionato; Classical-Rock; Jazzfunk; Misterioso; Cool Jazz; Grandioso. The piece closes with a fast and exciting climax marked Afro-Rock: Exuberantly.