Pizzicato for String Orchestra

Work Overview

  • Instrumentation: string orchestra

  • Commission: Composer Assistance Program of the American Music Center

  • Duration: 4 minutes


Program Note

Pizzicato is a short work for string orchestra, the duration of which the players never use their bows. The central sound produced is that of plucked strings as well a few surprises in the middle and towards the end of the work. Inspired by listening to Asian folk music, the piece is influenced partly by the music of the Chinese plucked instruments pipa and qin as well as by the energetic rhythms of Indonesian gamelan

The string quartet version of Pizzicato has been recorded by the Ying Quartet on the Telarc label and is also available as a download on iTunes and Amazon.


Purchase or Rent This Work

Score and parts can be purchased below.


Listen to the Album

The string quartet version has been recorded by the Ying Quartet and is commercially available on the Telarc CD entitled “Dim Sum,” featuring short works for string quartet by Chinese American composers.


Errata List

Artists are welcome to contribute any errors or notes for this work on our collaborative errata list.

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