Three Dances for Clarinet & Piano (2024) มฤคระเริง (Deer Dance) มยุราภิรมย์ (Peacock Dance) อัศวลีลา (Horse Dance) Duration: ca. 7’00”

“3 Dances for Clarinet and Piano” is inspired by three traditional Thai dances from the original “Five Animals Dance,” focusing on animal dances that emulate and enhance the movements of various animals. The original music for these dances comes from the “Five Animals Dance” by Montri Tramote (1900–1995), a celebrated Thai classical musician. The first dance, Maruk Rareung (Deer Dance), originally part of a Khon performance from the Ramayana, was choreographed by Lamul Yamagupta (1905–1982) for a 1955 cultural exchange in Burma. It depicts a scene where Ravana uses dancing deer to lure and kidnap Sita. In this adaptation, the original melody is used and developed with vibrant colors and transpositions while maintaining the original rhythm. Contrapuntal techniques and polytonality are added to enrich the texture, and the final clarinet solo reprises the introduction of the original song. The second dance, Mayura Phirom (Peacock Dance), was choreographed by Lady Paew Snidvongseni (1903-2000) in 1962. This dance portrays the elegance and grace of a peacock, inspired by Javanese tales. In this version, the piece begins calm and elegant, transitioning in the middle to highlight the peacock’s graceful movements. While the entire original melody is not used, the essence of the dance is preserved. The Final dance, Assawa Leela (Horse Dance), composed by Montri Tramote in 1958 for a traditional Piphat ensemble, imitates the lively and spirited movements of horses. This dance, choreographed by Yamagupta and developed by Lady Snidvongseni, is well-known and beloved in Thailand. In this version, the melody and harmony are developed similarly to the first dance but introduce more complexity, contrasts, and colors, making it both challenging and enjoyable to play. This composition is composed for Tanyawat Dilokkunanant’s performance at ClarinetFest® 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. Morakot Cherdchoo-ngarm Composer