Christopher Norton

Connections for Harp 2

Christopher Norton's distinctive contributions to the literature for the piano successfully bridge the gap between traditional piano literature and music in contemporary popular styles. Christopher Norton Connections for Harp contains over 100 newly composed pieces, carefully selected and edited for harp by Keziah Thomas. The pieces in Connections cover a wide range of styles—from swing to Latin and from calypso to pop ballad. These pieces present many of the same challenges found in more traditional repertoire. Lyrical pieces demand tonal beauty, excellent balance between melody and accompaniment, natural breathing and phrasing. More rhythmically oriented pieces require coordination, a deep-seated sense of pulse, and awareness of stylistic touches and accentuations. All pieces benefit from a strong connection to mood, movement, or image. The recorded accompaniments created for Connections by professional studio musicians reinforce the styles and double as useful backgrounds for improvising and jamming. As fun and entertaining additions to the performance repertoire of young players, these pieces will prove to be popular selections for recitals, festivals, informal performances, and examinations. Parents and friends will enjoy them, too, resulting in a positive experience for the performer.