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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Side Roads

by Betsy Jolas

Instrumentation
Cello, String Orchestra
Composed
2017
Duration
17'30''
Publisher
Alphonse Leduc (hire)
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About this piece

A cello concerto for solo cello and string orchestra, lasting about seventeen and a half minutes, jointly commissioned by the Orchestre national d'Auvergne and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Anssi Karttunen gave the premiere with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Gérard Korsten in Örebro on 18 October 2018, and has recorded it with the Orchestre national d'Auvergne. The publisher's note says it began as one movement of a planned triptych and grew into a self-contained concerto, its title a metaphor for her habit of avoiding musical 'main roads'.

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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