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Score title
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Umoja: the first day of Kwanzaa
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Composer
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Valerie Coleman
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Date
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2001
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Instrumentation
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Wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon)
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Program note
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Optional alto saxophone part for horn, optional tenor saxophone or baritone saxophone part for bassoon.
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Umoja is the Swahili word for "unity" and is the first day in seven in the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa. The original composition calls for unity through the tradition of call and response and was first meant to be a simple family sing-along song for Kwanzaa. As it was added to the wind quintet repertoire of Imani Winds, a woodwind quintet that was created and founded by Coleman, and it soon became a signature piece of the ensemble. The melody is mainly a French horn solo with supporting rhythms from the upper winds and a constant motor played by the bassoon. Even though the meter is in 3/4 time, the melody and percussive upper wind accompaniment is mostly phrased in 6/8 when there is syncopation. Most importantly, the entire feel should be in 1.
Valerie Coleman
