This week I’m happy to share an excerpt from Identity: Zhongshan Zhuang, my concerto for guzheng and orchestra which was released this week by Hanyi.

The concerto is what’s sometimes called “program music”, meaning that it corresponds to a story, similarly to how a film score accompanies a movie. This excerpt, near the opening of the first movement, evokes pastoral pre-war times in the Chinese countryside.

The full album, which also contains several solo guzheng pieces, is available from most online music retailers, including iTunes and Amazon.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Peaceful Times

A short and sweet film cue for oboe and strings. (There’s a bit of a pun buried in the title, as the scene in question depicted a romantic interlude between a lawyer and client.)

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	A Brief Connection

In celebration of Friday the 13th, this week’s music is on the creepy side. Woodwinds and low-register harp alternate in the foreground while agitated drones play in the periphery of audibility. (That’s music-speak for “on the creepy side”.)


(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Shaman

In slightly belated celebration of Halloween, a disquieting atmospheric cue featuring muted strings and agitated percussion.


(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Darkmoon Marsh

Time to get your trebuchet back from the shop! This week’s music selection is an orchestral battle cue, slowly growing from a cello-and-timpani rhythm into a full symphonic sound.

p.s. For some reason, my spellchecker doesn’t recognize the word “trebuchet”, and asked me if I meant to type “Bucharest”.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Battle For The West

It’s just another happy day on a 1970s TV quiz show… or is it?

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	These Fabulous Prizes