New Collection of Six Sheet Music Books & Three CD Albums
by composer/pianist Stephen J. Wood
Pianist and composer, Stephen J. Wood’s distinctive new collection “Contemporary Scottish Collection for Piano” (Eklectica Publishing and Records, 2015) features more than seventy piano arrangements of traditional Gaelic and Scottish melodies, written with a fusion of jazz and contemporary classical styles. Including commissions by young Scottish pianists, SQA performance repertoire and Royal National Mòd prize-winning arrangements, there is a choice of six graded books and three accompanying CD/digital albums, all performed by Stephen J. Wood. This Collection creates a unique musical ‘gathering’ of sophisticated and smooth folk jazz arrangements of best-loved and some lesser known airs, reels, strathspeys, marches and jigs.
Eminent Gaelic and Scottish musicians including Murray McLachlan, (concert pianist, author and educator) Anne Lorne Gillies (singer, writer, broadcaster) have said:-
“A beautiful collection…Wood knows how to set off a melodic line so that the harmony does not interfere with the organic beauty it adorns. His work is distinctively practical and immediate… a love of pianistic beauty and elegance always shines through. Warmly recommended.” (Murray McLachlan)
“Our beautiful melodies are in safe hands with Stephen J. Wood…..[the arrangements] reflect his own eclectic musical taste – but discreetly and always with respect…With today’s growing emphasis on traditional music in schools and colleges…there seems little doubt that arrangements such as these will continue to be of value in introducing young players to the genre and encouraging them to take the next steps towards finding their own sounds.” (Anne Lorne Gillies)
This graded series of books is ideal for use in schools and colleges, private teaching, concerts, festivals or just for pleasure (Grades 1-7).
A ‘Third Stream’ pianist, composer, arranger and producer, Steve Wood sits stylistically, somewhere between classical and jazz, being respected in both camps as “an ace player” (Peter Lawson, International Concert Pianist and Educator) and as “an immaculate pianist” (Sarah Ward, Jazz FM). He is also well-known in Scotland as an innovative arranger and player of traditional Scottish and Gaelic songs and tunes for solo piano. A frequent visitor to the Western Isles and Scotland over many years, Steve has drawn his inspiration both from live and recorded performances by contemporary traditional musicians as well as archived music collections.
“Writing this Collection has been a real labour of love;” said Steve. “My challenge has been to create idiomatic pieces for piano, staying true to my own Third Stream style, without compromising the beauty and integrity of the original Gaelic and Scottish melodies.”
The musical scores, CD/digital albums and individual MP3 tracks are available directly from Eklectica Publishing and Records at www.eklecticarecords.co.uk and www.stephenjwood.co.uk; The Gaelic Book Council; www.musicscotland.com and can be ordered through local music retailers through Boosey and Hawkes www.boosey.com, www.music-exchange.co.uk . Also available at Amazon and Itunes.
ENDS 1.5.15
Image:
Album cover for ‘Scottish Gathering for Piano’
The painting is ‘Skye Cuillin from Ord’ by Scottish artist John Slavin.
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