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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

Instrumentation
Cello, Orchestra
Composed
2020
Duration
19'
Publisher
Theodore Presser Company; parts on rental
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About this piece

A 19-minute concerto in three movements, dedicated to cellist Zuill Bailey and conductor Sebrina María Alfonso and inscribed in memory of the cellists Leonard Rose and Mstislav Rostropovich. Bailey gave the premiere with Alfonso and the South Florida Symphony Orchestra at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale, on 5 March 2020. It is scored for a modest orchestra of winds, two horns, two trumpets and strings. Bailey's recording with the Santa Rosa Symphony under Francesco Lecce-Chong appeared on Delos in 2022.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Professional

Left Hand

  • Complete command of the fingerboard.
  • Proficient thumb position across all strings.
  • Execute complex double stops and rapid trills precisely.
  • Fast scales and leaps with precise intonation and speed.
  • Apply expressive techniques (portamenti, micro‑adjusted intonation) tastefully.
  • Easily execute false harmonics.

Right Hand

  • Seamlessly blends martelé, spiccato, sautillé, legato & ricochet.
  • Meticulous bow distribution for sustained lines or rapid passages.
  • Clear pianissimo to controlled fortissimo.
  • Economical, efficient bow movement with smooth transitions.
  • Employ advanced effects (ponticello, bow effects) artistically.

Musicality

  • Focus on a deeply personal, communicative performance.
  • Make interpretive choices reflecting deep understanding of form, style & emotion.
  • Convey nuanced phrasing, wide dynamic range & a unique artistic voice.
  • Craft dramatic cadenzas/solos with rubato, tone & expressive timing.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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