What Performers say about Deon Nielsen Price’s music
DANCING ON THE BRINK OF THE WORLD (Cambria/NAXOS 2009)
“FABULOUS!” — Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, UC Irvine
“I am mightily impressed with ‘Dancing on the Brink of the World’, especially the advanced grasp of orchestration; I loved the thematic elements Deon composed; Berkeley has wonderful tone and execution.” — Al Cognata, trumpet player
“I have listened to your excellent orchestra CD a number of times. My favorite composition is ‘Yellow Jade Banque’ with Berkeley’s fine solo playing on three different clarinets. The last track, ‘Dancing on the Brink of the World’ is quite a composition! Amazing how your mind can think of all those notes going together, really unbelievable.” — Marie Gaisford, soprano
Carol Lynn Pearson, author of the poetry upon seeing the live stream concert performance of 2 of the songs: To All Women Everywhere and Your Voice. (Hildegard Festival March 28, 2015, California State University Stanislaus, in Turlock, CA)
“Very impressive, Deon! Creative and beautiful.”
“Turkanese Love” commissioned by Duo Esplanade Ayça Çetin, flute, and Katsuya Yuasa, clarinet. “Turkanese Love” is a lovely masterpiece! It gave my wife, Ayça, some Bartokian and Eastern European modes that are often not explored these days, Thank you SO much! — Katsuya Yuasa, (clarinet)
“The music written by Deon Price possesses a unique coupling of rhythmic ingenuity and vitality with a keen, sensitive lyricism.” — Dr. Douglas Masek, saxophonist
“I strongly feel that all of Deon Price’s compositions, each with a certain theme and mood, convey a message, which I think is the reason audiences like them. They all contain musical ideas, with neo-romantic flavoring, which the performer can easily convey. I have performed many, many modern compositions by composers at the Tanglewood Music Festival and for Lukas Foss’ contemporary music festival, but the most enthusiastic audience response has been when I have played pieces by Deon Nielsen Price.” — Ayke Agus, violinist, pianist and former assistant to Jascha Heifetz
About the Passcaglia and Allegra Barbara: “Dr. Price has the ability to draw out the greatest talents of the musicians for whom she writes. Her music requires performers to use all their skills, which makes the experience of doing her music a challenging and exciting one. She writes particularly well for the voice, which comes as a wonderful surprise in the Allegra Barbara.” — Dr. Barbara Allen, pianist and soprano
About To The Children of War: “…It begins innocently, full of childhood naïveté and charm. However, once Price has your guard down, she takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride, plunging the listener into the despair of torture chambers, through the anxiety of alienation to the comfort of compassion, until she finally arrives at the triumph of self-determination. In this work, Price masterfully combines the best elements of minimalism and romanticism to create a style of vocal writing which is fresh and unique. Her vocal lines are full of nuance, being true to the poetic impetus of Maya Angelou. Price’s keen realization of the voice’s finite nature does not, however, restrict her writing challenging vocalism. This piece is as much a jot to sing as it has proven to be a joy for the listener.” — Darryl Taylor, tenor