Devina's Dream Dance
composer: Nancy Galbraith (1989)
genre: youth orchestra
length: 1 movement, 14:00 minutes
orchestration: 3 fl, 2 ob, 2 cl; 2 hn, 3 tpt, 3 tbn, tba;
timp, 3 perc; strings (no cb)
publisher: Subito Music Publishing (ASCAP)
60 Depot Street, Verona, NJ 07044
mail@subitomusic.com • 973-857-3440
audio sample:

world premiere: 22 April 1990
Three Rivers Young Peoples OrchestraPaul Ross, conductor
Clarion, Pennsylvania
program notes: "Devina's Dream Dance" was commissioned by the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras for their Symphonette group (ages 7-14), but is also challenging and educational for most senior youth orchestras.
  Written in the postminimalist idiom, it exposes young string players to new ways of playing, with snap pizzicati, glissandos, tremolos, etc. All the players learn new rhythms, harmonies, and uses of dynamics; and the percussion section is occupied with 13 different instruments.
composer's notes: "Devina's Dream Dance" consists of a slow, serene introduction and three main sections. The first is an allegro introduced by repeated notes in the strings and a lively, bright, dance-like melody in the flutes. Section 2 is minor, and contains the use of some different playing techniques in the strings such as col legno in the cellos and pizzicato strumming in the violins. These techniques—as well as other more contemporary orchestral timbres—are introduced in such a way as to not only be instructional, but also fun to play. The melody in this section is introduced by the oboe, and although it is still dance-like, it is also darker and a little more ominous. Section 3 is a recapitulation, and is preceeded by material from the introduction. —N.G.
source: nancygalbraith.com