Funk is a composition for clarinet, violin, and piano written by Scott McAllister in 2005. It was the second piece the American composer created for the Strata Trio.
In Funk, choreographer Paolo Mangiola in collaboration with the dancers, investigates tensegrity and the ability of a structure to mutate according to the application and release of different forces.
Scott McAllister composed this piece following his divorce from his first wife. The tribulations the composer was going through at the time played a key role in the formation of this composition, with the three instruments representing the three disillusioned parties in the proceedings: the clarinet represents McAllister, the violin represents the ex-wife, and the piano represents the lawyer.
As McAllister once said Funk is “a state of mind” and this can be seen from the way the piece evolves. Funk opens with the piano playing a solo rhythmic ostinato, with the violin joining in the fifth bar to voice its disagreement. The clarinet finally pipes up at the next measure, and all three instruments continue to create dissonance until they finally agree on a single tempo.
FUNK is in collaboration with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and produced by the Malta International Arts Festival
Choreography: Paolo Mangiola in collaboration with the ŻfinMalta dancers
Video Direction: Paolo Mangiola
Cast: 11 dancers
Musicians: Giuseppe Recchia – clarinet/Nadine Galea – violin/Tricia Dawn Williams – piano
Light design: Paolo Mangiola
Music: Music by Scott McAllister Funk for clarinet, violin and piano
Filming and Editing Sebio Aquilina Audio Visual
Duration: 11 mins
Age: 5+
