Daisy - Cello Duet | Jose Daniel Vargas, SFCM Senior Recital

San Francisco Conservatory of Music Barbro Osher Recital Hall Sunday, May 12th, 2024 Freddy Renaud & Joshua Gordon, cellos This cheerful piece for two cellos was written in 2023 for the annual String Project—a collaboration between the String Department and Composition Department at SFCM. Composers are paired with string players to collaborate on a brand-new work. I chose to partner up with my long-time Joshua Gordon, who I've known since we were both much younger in Tucson, Arizona. Joshua introduced me to his new friend in the cello department, Freddy Renaud, and I was immediately excited at the idea of writing a cello duet. I asked the pair what kind of piece they wanted and Freddy suggested "pop meets minimalism," which further fanned my excitement for this project. My piece is melodically and rhythmically driven like pop music. This piece builds on the lessons in form and counterpoint that I learned from my Piano Trio as the singing melodic lines are passed between the two cellos while taking the listener on a colorful and elaborate harmonic journey. I could not have asked for better collaborators on this project and I am honored by the time and dedication both Freddy and Josh put into preparing this piece for performance. Please enjoy!