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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Red River

by T. Patrick Carrabré

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2024
Duration
18'6''
Publisher
Canadian Music Centre
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About this piece

A sonata for cello and piano commissioned by Müzewest for 'Nos Voix / Our Voices', a May 2024 Vancouver concert celebrating Métis musicians, and premiered there by cellist Ariel Carrabré. It draws on the melodies of Métis fiddle dances, and Carrabré writes that its three movements reflect the landscapes where the Métis have lived: the fertile Red River valley, the lakes of the Canadian Shield and the open prairie. It is the title work of his 2025 album Red River (Ariel Carrabré, cello; Kyung Kim, piano). Scores are sold through the Canadian Music Centre.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Early Advanced

Left Hand

  • Fully integrated thumb position; scales/arpeggios on A & D strings.
  • Smooth shifts into/out of thumb position for sustained high notes.
  • Frequent advanced double stops with rapid, coordinated shifts.
  • Accurate ornamentation (trills, turns, grace notes), even in double stops.
  • Expressively adjust intonation for chord balance.
  • Handle fast runs and large leaps precisely.
  • Introduction to false harmonics.

Right Hand

  • Virtuoso bow strokes: controlled up/down‑bow staccato, deliberate ricochet & well‑shaped sautillé.
  • Wide tone palette via precise bow adjustments.
  • Explore advanced effects (col legno, sul ponticello) as needed.
  • Capable of both powerful fortissimo and delicate soft notes.
  • Rapid switching among strokes in cadenzas/virtuosic passages.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Apply rhythmic freedom & rubato to shape movements and cadenzas.
  • Personal interpretation with nuanced phrasing & subtle dynamics.
  • Mature tone and phrasing for solo and ensemble settings.
  • Demonstrate advanced ensemble leadership with visual cues.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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