Griebling-Haigh: Coquin'arena for Six Part Flute Choir

Code: JP8011
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0288-2

Coquin'arena was composed in 1998 as part of an ongoing annual collaboration between the Cleveland Composers Guild and the Cleveland Music School Settlement. The project, called "Creativity: Learning Through Experience", culminates in premiere performances by Settlement students of compositions written specifically for them by members of the Guild. This work was first performed by the Settlement flute ensemble, "Flautrageous", in April 1998.

Coquin'arena is a contraction of "coquina" (the tiny bivalve mollusks so prevalent on Florida beaches) and "arena" (Spanish for beach or sand). It features a languid theme in triple meter depicting steady waves on the shore. The third beat in each of these measures is where the activity occurs: as the waves lap over them, the tiny coquinas vigorously burrow down into the wet sand for protection. This material is interspersed with mixed meter, syncopated, quirky music representing other sorts of beach inhabitants, such as wading birds and crabs, who strut or scamper in unpredictable ways.

The instrumentation is 3 flutes, 1 flute/piccolo, alto flute, and bass flute. Score/parts included. Duration 5:30.

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