Eric Funk: Dance Suite Op.95 for double bass & piano

About the Composition

Dance Suite is a vibrant and engaging five-movement suite for the intermediate bassist. The movements are playable singly or as a suite, and the music is rhythmically charged and spirited, creating a series of impressive miniature tone poems.

The double bass part is primarily in bass clef and offers musical and technical challenges in equal measure, alongside a supportive and independent accompaniment. Although the movement titles are inspired by the Baroque suite, the music is proudly of the 21st-century, abounding with colourful and vibrant harmonies and is ideal study or recital repertoire.

Dance Suite was commissioned in 2004 by David Heyes and each movement is dedicated to one of his students.

Dance Suite includes piano accompaniments for both solo and orchestral tunings.

About the Composer

Eric Funk (b.1949) has composed 170 major works, one third of which were commissioned, including nine symphonies, four operas, nineteen concertos, six string quartets, numerous large and small choral works and chamber works.

His music has been recorded and performed by Warsaw Philharmonic, Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Moscow String Quartet, Moyzes String Quartet, Elizabeth Croy (soprano), Gregory Young (clarinet) and the Meritage String Quartet.

In 2018 he was received an Emmy Award for Best Music Composition as part of the six Emmy Awards given for the Montana PBS/Scott Sterling documentary "The Violin Alone", the 2018 American Prize in Composition "Best Concerto of the Year" (Variations on a Theme by Jan Hanus for Violin & String Orchestra), and the leading international 2018 Global Music Award with two gold medals for classical music and composition for his Piano Concerto No.1. Eric Funk taught at the School of Music at Montana State University (USA).