Contemporary Modal Pieces

Award-winning composer Margaret Brandman''s pieces for piano in this collection explore several Contemporary Classical and Jazz writing techniques in a tuneful and accessible way. They serve to familiarise the performer with tonalities other than Major and Minor by introducing students to the unique sounds of the seven standard church modes used in Western Music for over a thousand years: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. Pentatonic and Whole-tone scale sounds are also explored as well as pieces composed using ''Serial'' techniques. The student of classical music will be opened up to the exciting world of Jazz sounds via the Modal Scales and the various rhythms included in the book; while the Australian animal titles will capture the performer''s imagination and provide insight into the stylistic content of the piece.

In addition to the pieces there are many helpful suggestions that provide a means of encouraging improvisation. For the student of composition, previously dry theoretical concepts are brought to life in each of the pieces which bridge the gap between conventional writing techniques and contemporary experimental material.

Many of the pieces from this collection are listed in the Australian Music Examination Syllabus as set works for students to perform at their examinations.