Duende by Franisco Perez

The term “duende” has supernatural connotations. In the world of flamenco dancing, it is used to describe a state of extreme inspiration that takes over a dancer. Francisco Perezhas captured this feeling in his ensemble piece Duende, which is a tribute to a performance of flamenco dancing he witnessed during the summer of 2013 in Madrid. In it, he fuses different musical idioms such as Afro-Cuban grooves, flamenco, and a bit of the 1980’s music of Steve Reich. This piece requires intense dedication from the performers, who are expected to play each note “with tribal vigor” and relentless energy. 

This piece was commissioned by Dr. Andrew Eldridge and the University of Texas at Arlington Percussion Ensemble and premiered in November 2017.

Duende comes with a full, bound score and includes a CD-ROM containing an audio recording and all individual parts available for printing.