Opus number: 41

Title: Four Pieces in Familiar Style

Instrumentation: two violins

Date written: 1995, Boston

Length: eight minutes

Commissioner: New England Conservatory Preparatory School

Premiere performance: Jennifer Press, Julie Thompson, violins, String Duo Project, January 28, 1995, New England Conservatory Preparatory School

Important subsequent performances: Yoichi Udagawa and John Law, violins, The Boston Conservatory, December 10, 1995.

Recording: Ayano Ninomiya, both violins, CD reocrding in progress; tape of NEC performance at NEC Firestone Library; tape of Boston Conservatory performance at Boston Conservatory library

Program notes: “Four Pieces in Familiar Style” was written for the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and first performed by students at the annual Contemporary Music Festival. The four pieces are characterized by dance rhythms and their sonority is derived from the frequent use of open strings. The movement titles are: I. Sonata in Two Parts, II  Which Side are you on?, III. The Cat and the Moon, V. Four-Voice Fugue.