Program notes
Parasol (literally “stop-sun” in Spanish) was written for the Shaler Middle School Honor Band. Because it was composed for young players, I wanted the music to be both challenging and immediately engaging for them.
The piece is built on the clave rhythmic pattern, so characteristic of much Latin American folk music. That pattern provides the framework for a very catchy tune, which is orchestrated differently each time it returns, creating new “shades” of the same upbeat musical material.
During the winter of 2002, while I was writing the piece, I found myself longing for my younger years in Caracas. When I was growing up, I went to the beach almost every weekend. Venezuelan beaches are spectacular, and one of the first things that strikes you is the intensity of the sun and its light. The sun is both a blessing in its clarity and a dangerous weapon to your skin. To survive those beaches you needed either a palm tree or a parasol. Once you stepped into the shade, there was nothing to keep you from happiness.
— Efraín Amaya
Instrumentation & duration
Orchestral version: 2.2.2.2 — 4.2.3.1 — timpani — 4 percussion — strings.
Also available: wind ensemble version.
Duration: ca. 4:00.
Video
Live performance of Parasol:
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