C.L.A.R.A.

In 2019, composition students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas were invited to compose a piece for a concert celebrating the 200 year anniversary of Clara Schumann’s birth. So, I wrote a piece for string quartet called C.L.A.R.A. It is based on one of the musical ciphers that Robert Schumann used to spell Clara’s name in his pieces. Each letter of her name is associated with a specific pitch, C, L (which is B♭), A, R (which is G♯), and A. This set of pitches first appears in the bass line, is developed throughout the piece.

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It was premiered in November 11th, 2019 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.