Badlands
Christine Donkin
Timeline
Christine Donkin (born 1976)
- Born in 1976, Christine Donkin studied music composition at the University of Alberta in Canada
- She then studied at the University of British Columbia.
- She is now based near Ottawa where she composes and teaches. Her music is performed across the North American continent and beyond and is promoted by several publishers. Several of her pieces are included in publication by exam boards including Trinity College London and the Australian Music Examinations Board.
Style
Christine Donkin is an award winning CONTEMPORARY composer whose music appeals to a broad range of listeners and performers alike. Described as Stunning (ConcertoNet.com), highly imaginative (American Record Guide), and having enormous impact (The Washington Post), her work is performed all over the world and her music is included on the Aboriginal Inspirations CD:
Badlands is a piece full of energy and forward momentum inspired by the unique landscapes and rock formations of Canada’s ‘Wild West’. Some of these areas such as the Big Muddy Badlands in Saskatchewan, Canada, gained notoriety as a hideout for outlaws.
Interpretation
- Strong fingers are needed to bring out the character of this piece and to make the articulation crisp. Imagine the keys of the piano are almost too hot to touch:
- Make sure the melody sings out clearly above the left hand chords in bars 9-12, but let the little answering phrase in the left hand be heard too:
- The only dynamics marked are mezzo-forte and forte but the diminuendo in bar 13 could take the levels down a little more to give some contrast before the final crescendo back up to forte:
- Ensure the accents on the final notes are really strong and short, and played without hesitation on the final beat of the piece:
