LARGE ENSEMBLES

Program Notes:
Dreamscapes is a musical depiction of a dream. The solo violin represents a "person's" consciousness , while the orchestra provides different scenarios that constantly change throughout the piece, alternating between pleasant, romantic dreams to dreadful and gruesome nightmares.

Its form is loosely based upon my research on the subject of rapid eye movement (REM) and lucid dreaming.  Both give the piece a sectional but solid structure, divided by phases and segments.  The human aspect of Dreamscapes is that it follows a story line which I developed by taking notes of my own dreams.  While this was a fantastic new experience for me, it also presented quite a few challenges, such as how to organize all of these imageries, abstract thoughts and sensations into a cohesive piece of music. [Close]

Reviews:
Assad's "Dreamscapes," a 12-minute violin concerto that seeks to conjure up a sleeper's internal state, got a vivid rendition with Salerno-Sonnenberg as the tireless soloist. The music pursues a surreal jumble of moods - a burst of Expressionism, an angular nightmare waltz, an uneasy rhapsody and more - with the violin as the guiding consciousness always at the fore. Cellist Michelle Djokic made a handsome secondary contribution. May 19th, 2009
Joshua Kosman, SAN FRANCISCO CHONICLE

“Things heated up during Assad’s Dreamscapes, with Salerno-Sonnenberg standing to solo and adopting an appropriately athletic approach to what the composer, in her program notes, describes as “this notion of awareness versus subconscious.” Like Hermann and Borodin, Assad arrays various the strings to make both the parts (including soloists) and the whole support her compositional concept, in the process showcasing the NCCO’s individual and collective skills. This is an exciting and worthy addition to the repertoire, and Assad was called to the stage to receive a well-deserved bouquet.” [Close]

Impressions Program Notes

The piece begins with a Theme & Variations movement, which showcases the five individual sections of the orchestra. Each variation has its own musical language and style, setting distinct soundscapes that are contrastingly derived from one single idea.  In Fusion: Dança Brasileira, I bring in my own inherent Brazilian musical background, integrating the joyful rhythms and peculiarities of my country’s musical styles into a classical environment. Affection: Slow Waltz was inspired by witnessing the obvious mutual connection between the orchestra. Precision: Perpetual Motion was inspired by my impressions of the orchestra’s flawless proficiency and impeccable artistry.

Impressions:
Reviews
“Gorgeous Premiere ... one of the more enjoyable new works I’ve  heard in recent years." Sept. 13th, 2008 Jeff Dunn, SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE

“Lushly film-score-ish, with echoes of black spirituals, dances from Brazilian salons of yore — and Vivaldi's sunshine. “ Sep. 12th, 2008 SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

After the captivating second movement’s Danca Brasileira, with its echoes of Assad’s homeland, the middle movement’s lovely Slow Waltz contrasts with is grace. There’s lots of zippy energy in the challenging fourth movement Perpetual Motion, which Assad wrote to showcase what she calls in the liner notes the NCCO’s “flawless proficiency and impeccable artistry.” I couldn’t agree more.
Jason Victor Sirinus, SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE

'...Dynamic, fresh and sharply played."
Stewart Oksenhorn, The Aspen Times

"Impressions is full of infectiously Brazilian high spirits and enveloping warmth."
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Brazilian Fanfare:
Program Notes
Composing a Brazilian orchestral work has been a very exciting experience for me. I was thrilled with the immense arsenal of possibilities that this entailed; but I was also a bit skeptical because I knew that it would be virtually impossible to incorporate all aspects of Brazilian music into one single piece. Brazil is a very young country with a very young history, but it is also the largest country in South America. Consequently, there is a great variety of cultures and sub-cultures within each little region. It would be extremely difficult to describe the many different styles and genres that make up the music of Brazil. Still...I wanted Brazilian Fanfare to comprise as many of these elements as possible, portraying a portion of every region as a caricature; while focusing on the joyful, light, humorous and warm aspect of this country because this is how most people relate to Brazil. The piece uses the most commonly known Brazilian rhythms in their raw form such as the Olodum from Bahia, the Samba from Rio de Janeiro, Chorinho from Sao Paulo, Baiao from the Northeast part of the country, as well as some other rhythms that may be derivative of those regions or variations on the rhythms themselves.
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Brazilian Fanfare:
Reviews
"The program began with a lively, polished rendition of “Brazilian Fanfare,” by the Brazilian composer Clarice Assad, in its New York premiere. Ms. Assad’s colorful, deftly  orchestrated work incorporates rhythms from different regions of her native country, like  the olodum from Bahia and the samba from Rio de Janeiro, and earlier styles like the waltz, with boisterous brass and percussion and sultry string interludes." April 12th, 2008 Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times

"Brazilian Fanfare by composer Clarice Assad,throughly delighted the senses incorporating at least five different Brazilian dance style while employing winds, brass and primitive percussion. Boisterous and filled with humor, the piece skipped merrily from one infectious rhythm and melody to the next.” June 30th, 2006 CHATTANOOGA Times

"Colorful, energetic, and eminently listenable, fusing together a multitude of musical ideas in a popular idiom. Repeated performances may well contribute to making this work a familiar concert opener. " June 30th, 2006
Mel R. Wilhoit, CSO: Finnish Fusion

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Concerto For Violin & Orchestra:
Program Notes
The concerto for violin and orchestra began with a conversation during the summer of 2003, when my father Sergio Assad, my uncle Odair Assad and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg were performing as a trio across the United States. My father had already been writing some incredible pieces for Nadja and them (the Assad brothers) for a long time. I had just graduated from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and was about to start work on my Master’s degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, majoring in composition. One evening after the concert, the four of us were conversing about music, and I mentioned that I had no idea what to do for my Master’s thesis. To my surprise, Nadja said "why don't you write something for me to play?" I cannot put into words how excited I was when I heard her saying this, and it is still hard for me to believe it is happening.

I then started listening to her playing and watching videos of her performances. I went through all of the published and unpublished materials that I could get my hands on. Nadja was very kind to give me those recordings and to show me so many of the things she has done (whether accompanied by an orchestra, or by smaller ensembles). We also had several conversations about the concerto, where I would ask her simple things such as what she liked and did not like about form, development, rhythm and melody. These conversations gave me very good ideas and guidelines as I continued to write. During this period I also went to several of Nadja's live concerts, one of which I remember meeting conductor Marin Alsop, whose personality and musicianship deeply inspired me as well.
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Concerto For Violin & Orchestra:
Reviews
"The theater world has an axiom that any given play grows longer in larger performing spaces. Clarice Assad's new Violin Concerto strangely went in the opposite direction: Though its 22-minute duration feels expansive on compact disc at home, the concerto seemed much shorter Thursday at the Kimmel Center with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. Maybe that's because you wanted more of it. This first major concert work by the 28-year-old jazz-steeped Assad is high on lyricism and charm, not so high on the kind of thematic development that could explore more aspects of her melodic inspiration. Inspired by the Samuel Barber Violin Concerto, Assad's isn't about thematic arguments between soloist and orchestra; it creates a series of abstract, thematically integrated symphonic songs - likely to be dismissed by the cutting edge and embraced by almost everybody else.The wind writing delivers welcome whiffs of Spanish/Moorish influences. The third movement puts a large variety of ideas into the same musical room, alternately making sense of their coexistence and delighting in their lack of it. True to form, Salerno-Sonnenberg was an emotional live wire, which meant everything to the Assad concerto." Sept. 2006 by David Patrick Sterns, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Receiving a standing ovation however, was the musical talent of Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg. Playing a piece specifically written for her by good friend Clarice Assad, the young artist blew everyone away. Ms. Assad’s work blended classical music with chamber jazz. Setting her apart from other composers is her creative way of using native rhythm to infuse her music. Thriving on the Brazilian beats of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Ms. Sonnenberg’s interpretation not only showed her musical depth but her onstage presence alluded a confidence felt by all."
Courtney Treadwell, inthespotlight.com

"...Assad's handling of the orchestra and solo violin displays a maturity and an innate sense of shape and balance that bodes well for her compositional career." Rocky Mountain News

"Assad’s Violin Concerto was the evening’s highlight. Romantic in temperament and tonal in harmony, the work, with its majestic fanfares and lively polonaises, paid homage to the world’s great violin concertos. Occasional jazz rhythms hinted at the composer’s Brazilian roots. This outstanding world-premiere concerto alerts us to watch for more from Assad. Sentinel Correspondent
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