Remembering Khachaturian

Remembering Khachaturian was written especially for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies’ Junior Philharmonia East, John Madura, conductor. I wanted to make a piece that was fun for the students to play, but challenging and memorable as well. I have been fond of the brilliant orchestral music from Russia and its neighbors ever since my own school orchestra days, and so, in an attempt to share that passion, here are two orchestral dances written in the harmonic language of Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian.