Event Description

Unchained Melodies is a new modular chamber work with a contemporary twist that evokes the contrapuntal rigor of medieval music and the crafty puzzles of J.S. Bach. The composition is a collection of ten 10-minute solo pieces that can be combined in endless permutations ranging from duos all the way up to full dectet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, bass, piano).

Expanding upon the chamber version for core dectet, Unchained Melodies can also be performed with massed forces of an indeterminate number of musicians or as a concerto with orchestra in which Fifth House Ensemble soloists lead sections of instruments. The work’s extreme adaptability works especially well for educational programs and community engagement events that benefit from flexible instrumentation, and opens up myriad possibilities of side-by-side performances, educational activities, and large-scale, multi-venue performance initiatives.