Preludio y Merengue

Description

Preludio y Merengue was commissioned by the Beckendorff Junior High Orchestra and their conductor, Amy Williams, in commemoration of their invitation to perform at the annula convention of the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio as the 2023 Middle School String Honor Orchestra. This program has a rich history as being recognized for excellence with prior performances at the Midwest Clinic and TMEA. Merengue is a fast-paced dance with roots in Dominican Republic. Unlike traditional merengue, this one includes a fugue. While the percussion parts are optional in this work, the guira, like the guiro but made of metal, and the conga part will add Caribbean flavor! The prelude introduces melodic material which returns in the dance section. Many thanks to the incredibly talented Amy Williams for her advice on this work, and to my long-time associate, Brenden Steber, in the preparation and research for this project.