Piers Hellawell, Rapprochement, Concerto for Piano into Orchestra (2022, 16')

This concerto was written for Clare and received its world premiere with the Ulster Orchestra and conductor Jamie Phillips in March 2023. Scored for piano and chamber orchestra, the piece explores the idea of ‘solo-tutti collisions’, where the two identities gradually collide. The solo begins as a solo, the orchestra as an orchestra. They start with discrete pieces but progressively become entangled.

i. Piano solo (+ orchestral ‘ambassadors’) (1'30)

ii. Full orchestra interlude (1')

iii. Piano solo + chamber ensemble (4')

iv. Solo piano interlude (1')

v. Piano solo + full orchestra (7')

vi. Epilogue: piano/orchestra as indivisible entity (1')

The concerto is approximately 16 minutes in length and is scored for 2.2.2.2. (all d) - 2.2.0.0 - strings (8.6.4.4.2 / 6.5.3.3.2 minimum).