AROUND THE GLOBE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
The 2024 Around the Globe International Music Festival is dedicated to celebrating the rich diversity of music, and your participation is key to its success. It presents online competitions that showcase a variety of keyboard instruments and music-related disciplines. This inclusive event is open to participants of all age groups and offers diverse musical performances for you to enjoy. Your involvement is what makes this festival a true celebration of every unique musical interest, ensuring that all individuals feel included and valued.
AGMA is dedicated to spreading the understanding and love of contemporary classical and jazz piano music worldwide, focusing on pieces not often performed in public or introduced via grade syllabuses. We encourage you to check out our latest contemporary compositions in for advanced-level pianists in this issue of the newsletter.
You still have a chance to explore new pieces and discover new styles before the November 20th deadline for our 10th Piano Competition in 2024.
There are many more piano music to explore for intermediate, late intermediate, early, advanced and highly advanced levels on our
List of Contemporary and Jazz Piano Works webpage:
We cordially invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you can immerse yourself in the world of contemporary classical and jazz compositions.
Delight in the exceptional piano performances by our esteemed competition winners, showcasing years of accumulated artistry and skill.
Repertoire for Advanced-level Pianists (grade 6 and above) |
Composer GRAHAM LYNCH
Graham Lynch was born in London. He has a PhD in composition from King’s College London, and he also spent a year at the Royal College of Music, as well as studying privately with Oliver Knussen.
Graham’s music has been commissioned and performed in over forty countries, as well as being frequently recorded to CD and featured on radio and television. Performers of his music include the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Singers, Orchestra of Opera North, BBC Concert Orchestra, The Eastman Sax Project, Mahan Esfahani, and El Ultimo Tango from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
He has also worked as an arranger for the Belcea Quartet. His works have been played in venues as diverse as the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, Merkin Hall New York, Paris Conservatoire, Palace of Monaco, at the Venice Biennale, and from the Freiberg Jazz Club to a cake shop in Japan, and everything in between.
Composing piano music has been a central part of Graham’s creative output for many years, ranging from early grade pieces through too long and complex concert works.
Monet, from the Art Preludes
“This is from a set of five short preludes which are inspired by Impressionist paintings. This piano solo piece tries to capture Monet’s use of colour through rich harmonies that blend together to create a slightly dreamy atmosphere.” – G. Lynch
Listen to Allegro – 1st Movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQ1_bnPMdo
Order the book:
The Sadness of the King
“The title of this piece comes from a Cut-Out by Matisse, and once more there are rich harmonies, although this time with a more melancholic feel.” – G. Lynch
Order the book: https://composersedition.com/graham-lynch-white-book-2/
Songs of Love and Death - Piano Duo for Four Hands
“Songs of Love and Death originally started as a setting of folksongs for soprano and piano. I’d always enjoyed the folksong settings of Vaughan Williams and Britten but was aware that these belonged to an earlier time, and in the last decades folk singers such as Shirley Collins and Eliza Carthy have taken the style in new directions. I wanted to reflect some of this in my own settings. The piano duo arrangements came later, at the request of the Darina Piano Duo.
These six pieces all tell stories which can be heard in the music – love, lost love, separation, betrayal, poisoning, robbery, and more! The music moves through many emotions, including tenderness and contentment as well as excitement and intensity. The piano parts are engaging to play and are often multi-layered and rich in texture.” – G. Lynch
Composer MILOS RAICKOVICH
Milos Raickovich (Miloš Raičković), composer and conductor, was born in Belgrade in 1956. He has lived in Belgrade, Paris, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Hiroshima and New York. Today, Raickovich divides his time between New York and Belgrade. While in Belgrade, Milos Raickovich was the founder of the Ensemble for Different New Music (1977), as well as one of the founders of the Borislav Pascan Youth Philharmonic. Raickovich’s music has been performed in Europe, the USA and Japan.
Milos Raickovich studied composition with Vasilije Mokranjac, Olivier Messiaen and David Del Tredici; and conducting with Borislav Pascan, Pierre Dervaux, and Herbert Blomstedt. He holds a Ph.D. in composition from The City University of New York, and has taught at several universities in the U.S. and Japan.
Raickovich’s music is released on CDs: New Classicism (Mode Records), featuring the Moscow Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer; B-A-G-D-A-D and Far Away (Albany Records). The Los Angeles Times critic Mark Swed describes Raickovich’s music as “a unique postmodern response to both minimalism and multiculturalism.”
More about Professor Raickovich http://library.newmusicusa.org/MilosRaickovich
Please note that Raickovich’s piano music is accessible via the New Music Online Library USA website at http://library.newmusicusa.org/
B-A-G-D-A-D for Piano (Music on a six-note theme in defence of Iraq)
“The anchor piece is an “ode to the ancient city,” according to Raickovich. “B-A-G-D-A-D” was composed as a piano piece in September 2002 before the war in Iraq started, and is made of six notes, starting with B-flat. There are three different versions in the collection, one a piano piece, another with a harp and the third with a string quartet.
The piece is reminiscent of John Coltrane’s “Alabama.” “Alabama” begins melancholic, symbolizing the place and time, then strolls like life, never free from the struggle as the theme returns and continues until percussionist Elvin Jones’ drums roll in—the dawn that can’t be held back, like the struggle of the oppressed.
Raickovich’s “B-A-G-D-A-D,” while sombre too, builds more slowly. As an ode to an ancient city, it takes its time because it has a longer history to reference. It ends on a melancholic tone, an allusion to the tragedy of U.S. imperialism and what it has done to a people, their culture and their cities…” – L. Hales
Read more about the piece: https://www.workers.org/2007/world/b-a-g-d-a-d-1206/
Sonata for Piano (to Harumi Ishikawa) – 1988-89
Listen to Allegro, 1st Movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFe3Au_lPkw
Duet Without You for piano 4-hands (2011)
“Duet without You (2011) for piano 4-hands starts with a quote from Schubert’s Fantasy in F Minor. I also used short quotes from Gretchen am Spinnrade and from a Japanese folk song, Saitaro-bushi. Later, I reworked the duet into a song titled Where is my love? (for high voice and piano), with my own text...” - M. Raickovich
* Pease note that this duet could be adapted as a solo piano piece.
Listen version for two pianos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFH5qkhOGf4
Composer MARCEL ZIDANI
Marcel Zidani is not just a pianist but also an author, teacher, and composer. His musical journey began with piano lessons under the esteemed Royal Academy Vice-Principal Mark Racz, and more recently, he has been honing his skills under the guidance of Professor Philip Martin, exploring both piano and composition. His versatility as a musician is evident in Leslie Howard's nomination of Marcel's composition Butterflies from his Life Cycle CD for the British Composer Awards.
Marcel Zidani's musical work exemplifies a passion and a widely acknowledged talent. His compositions are frequently aired on esteemed radio stations like BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester, Radio Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, and more. The recognition he receives from these stations and Radio 3 shows, where he's hailed as a “Musical Gem” and compared to the likes of Chopin, Liszt, and Satie, validates his undeniable talent. Marcel has given masterclasses, adjudicated for music competitions, most recently at the Birmingham Conservatoire and Around the Globe International 9th Piano Competition, performed at music festivals in the UK and abroad and is a devoted piano teacher. Many of Marcel's students have won Young Musician competitions and other prizes.
His Hey Presto book, a unique and fully comprehensive piano method for older beginners and adults, is a testament to his musical prowess. Marcel Zidani's musical journey has taken him to numerous music festivals, where his performances have left a lasting impression. His popular pieces from the newest book, Away From the Grade, are a highlight on the repertoire list of the Around the Globe International Music Festival for late-intermediate level piano learners.
Marcel's extensive performances at music festivals throughout the UK, including local and Midlands concerts, have always been a treat for the audience, showcasing his undeniable talent and leaving a lasting impression.
Read more about Marcel Zidani: https://www.marcelzidani.com/bio
Adagio for Piano Solo
“Immerse yourself in the deep, expressive world of 'Adagio', a beautifully emotional piece by a prize-winning composer. This composition delicately explores the contrast between gentle, lyrical melodies and profound, resonant harmonies, creating a rich musical journey that evokes both introspection and longing. Perfect for the advanced pianist, 'Adagio' captivates audiences with its tender phrasing and subtle nuances, making it an ideal piece for recitals or competitions, including the esteemed Around the Globe International Music Festival” – M. Zidani
Order the book (PDF): https://www.marcelzidani.com/grades-7-8-and-concert-pieces
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