Sarikiz

Premiered in January 2009 by Marat Bisengaliev, 'Sarikiz' is a highly approachable violin concerto in three movements, with a flexible scoring for strings and optional wind and percussion. The violin writing, reminiscent of Vivaldi, is florid in the fast outer movements and enchantingly lyrical in the central slow movement. The work was commissioned by Sapar Iskakov in memory of his great Kazakh ancestor, composer and kobyz player Tlep Aspantaiuly (1757-1820) and is based in part on Kazakh folk melodies. It has been recorded on the album Quirk (EMI Classics), which brings together four concertos by the composer of Adiemus.