Play

A fresh take on the classical concerto grosso for improvising chamber ensemble and orchestra.

“Plaudits for venturing into the musical unknown… The work pushed the players to achieve a jazz sensibility and a bit of a rock groove as they alternated with the amplified six-member Fireworks Ensemble… melodies, motif development, the colors, the drive, solid harmonies, and the orchestration were all first-rate.”
— Geraldine Freedman, The Schenectady Daily Gazette


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  1. Music for Children (Live Excerpts) Brian Coughlin; Fireworks Ensemble, ESYO, Helen Cha-Pyo 1:00
  2. Changing Voices (Live Excerpts) Brian Coughlin; Fireworks Ensemble, ESYO, Helen Cha-Pyo 1:00
  3. Fugue-Passacaglia-Rondo (Live Excerpts) Brian Coughlin; Fireworks Ensemble, ESYO, Helen Cha-Pyo 1:00

Play pits the six soloists of Fireworks against a symphony orchestra. Over the course of the three-movement work, a single melodic theme embarks on a voyage through a wide variety of styles and contexts—including jazz, rock, funk, minimalism, and a Beethoven-esque scherzo—each serving as a framework for improvisation.