Wonderful Washington

Wonderful Washington pays tribute to this Pacific Northwest state in three engaging movements. “Spokane Falls” depicts the waterfalls in Riverfront Park through flowing, cross-hand motives, with repeating patterns and syncopated rhythms. “Seattle Summits” portrays the height of Mount Rainier and the Space Needle by using a broad range of the keyboard. A mysterious sound is achieved through dissonant, unexpected chords, abundant accidentals, and key changes. A technical challenge for students is stretching the hand for large intervals. “Walla Walla Sweets” displays a carnival sound through the use of accidentals, syncopation, and mixed articulations. One of the challenges is rapid hand-position changes. “Spokane Falls” is a Federation Festivals 2016-2020 selection.