Suite del Zodíac Xinès (Chinese Zodiac Suite)

When conductor Michelle Edwards commissioned me to write a piece for her “Harmonia Mundi” ensemble, a Minnesota Wind Group based in St. Paul’s Macalester College, it came to my mind to write several short pieces of independent material.

Chamber wind music offers more than any instrumental ensemble, a rich variety of timbrical combination. I feel a special affinity with wind instruments, and I am always excited to write music for them. Joting down some ideas about writing colorful music, I found in the exotic Chinese Zodiac a suitable source for my purpose.

According to this Zodiac, every year bears the name of an animal. Each animal has particular features that depicts the person born under that sign. From the twelve possible animals, I selected six, the ones I thought would be represented best through music and give the Suite the needed contrast.

(Salvador Brotons)

AUDIO “The Monkey”(3)

AUDIO “The Dragon” (6)