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Baby Blackbird, Fly Now

by Adam Silverman

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2004
Duration
2'
Publisher
Adam B. Silverman Music Publications; also in The Royal Conservatory Cello Series (2013 Edition), Cello Repertoire Level 6
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About this piece

Baby Blackbird, Fly Now is a two-minute piece for cello and piano by Adam B. Silverman. The Royal Conservatory includes it in List B (Concert Repertoire) of its Cello Repertoire Level 6 book (Cello Series, 2013 Edition), which comes with a full recording and an accompaniment-only track for practice. Cellist Amy Sue Barston, the composer's wife, played it at many Suzuki institutes and workshops from 2009 on and recorded it with pianist Evan Solomon on her album Memories and Souvenirs (2010). The composer also publishes it for violin and piano, piano trio, string trio, string quartet and four-part cello ensemble.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Intermediate

Left Hand

  • Fluent in positions 1–4 with confident shifts & reliable intonation.
  • Introduce 5th position via scales/études.
  • Learn tenor clef for higher passages.
  • Early exposure to thumb position basics.
  • Refine combined shifting & extensions.
  • Advance double stops (two‑note chords).
  • Refine vibrato for expressive shaping.

Right Hand

  • High control over multiple bow strokes.
  • Advanced spiccato for fast passages; reliable sautillé.
  • Apply martelé at frog and mid‑bow.
  • Execute rapid string crossings with minimal arm movement.
  • Adjust contact point to modulate tone.
  • Introduce complex bow patterns & chord rolling.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Faster tempos & varied meter challenges.
  • Tackle compound meters, intricate ornaments & syncopation.
  • Deepen expressive phrasing; analyze piece structure.
  • Clear dynamic contrasts; introduce slight rubato.
  • Enhance ensemble sensitivity.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.