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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Insomnia Etude No. 3: 5:15am

by Lisa Bielawa

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
2017
Duration
5'
Publisher
Composer (self-published)
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About this piece

The cello piece in Bielawa's Insomnia Etudes, three separate solos (2:30am for violin, 4am for viola, 5:15am for cello) commissioned by the California Music Center for the 2017 Irving M. Klein International String Competition and premiered there in June 2017. Each etude is named for an hour of a sleepless night; the composer's note says the score deliberately leaves open how the insomniac feels about being awake, inviting performer and listener to imagine what goes on in the mind at that hour.

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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