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Duo Sassonetto and Gregory Wanamaker’s music for Saxophone and Clarinet

Gregory Wanamaker has composed numerous solo and chamber works for saxophone. His Duo Sonata, for clarinet and saxophone, is arguably his most well-known chamber work receiving over 350 performances world-wide since its completion in 2002. Saxophonist Timothy McAllister, for whom Duo Sonata was composed, has stated “…the piece is the cornerstone work for such a combination [alto saxophone and clarinet].” (Timothy McAllister, Sax on the Run, Fanfare 34:2 Nov/Dec 2010)

His second work for clarinet and saxophone, Ragahoro Breakdown (2015) was commissioned by a consortium of 21 duos from North America and Europe led by Duo Entré-Nous. In contrast to Duo Sonata’s more classical influence, Ragahoro Breakdown finds its source material from a mix of North Indian Raga, Bulgarian Horo, and American Bluegrass. Wanamaker has agreed to present a clinic with Duo Sassonetto specifically discussing these two works and his chamber music for saxophone. As part of this clinic, Duo Sassonetto will to perform Ragahoro Breakdown and Duo Sonata at the NASA Region 8 Conference.

With live examples performed by Duo Sassonetto (Cara Kinney, saxophone, and Jennifer Dashnaw, clarinet), Wanamaker will illustrate how he combines the timbres of the clarinet and saxophone a cohesive unit. As musicians, our Duo has realized how specifically Wanamaker writes. In both works, he provides the performers with specific indications of musical expression, and also includes many extended techniques for saxophone in his music including slap tongue, multiphonics, and overtones. In Ragahoro Breakdown, the saxophonist is required to recreate the sound a tabla drum using a combination of slap tonguing and overtones. Wanamaker will explain some of this notation and the sounds he is looking for by employing these extended techniques. He will also discuss the combination of distinctly different world music types used in Ragahoro Breakdown. By working directly with the composer, we hope as musicians to better understand how to perform Gregory Wanamaker\’s music and how to share it with future audiences.