ABOUT THE ALBUM
Two of a Kind is a duo clarinet album by Kristine Dizon and Radovan Cavallin. The goal of this album was the exploration of the capacities of the clarinet, highlighting different parts and characters of the instrument, as well as of its players. Each musician performs as if they’re in dialogue, and shine through their similarities and differences, both in performance and personality.
The selected compositions for Two of a Kind show the eclectic nature of this album, apparent through the nationality of the composers, as well as the time of their work, their influences, and genres. Every composition is in itself an exchange with its predecessors, a re-writing that makes the whole album a palimpsest of conversation across time and space, within melody, rhythm, and harmony.
This album has been described as exquisite, fun to listen to, and accessible to all audiences, both clarinetists and someone with no knowledge of classical music. It also features some premieres for the clarinet, with Nicola Bacri’s Mondorf Sonatina that was originally written for oboe and clarinet and a composition written specifically for Cavallin and Dizon by Nuno Díaz.
The selected compositions for Two of a Kind show the eclectic nature of this album, apparent through the nationality of the composers, as well as the time of their work, their influences, and genres. Every composition is in itself an exchange with its predecessors, a re-writing that makes the whole album a palimpsest of conversation across time and space, within melody, rhythm, and harmony.
This album has been described as exquisite, fun to listen to, and accessible to all audiences, both clarinetists and someone with no knowledge of classical music. It also features some premieres for the clarinet, with Nicola Bacri’s Mondorf Sonatina that was originally written for oboe and clarinet and a composition written specifically for Cavallin and Dizon by Nuno Díaz.
KRISTINE DIZONKristine Dizon (born 1988) is an international artist and teacher who has performed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. An passionate music educator, she has taught clarinet masterclasses in Armenia, Cyprus, Thailand, Perú, and Poland. Kristine has been a part of several socio-cultural and educational projects that include the Philharmonie de Paris-Project DEMOS, Conservatoire de Montargis (Orchestre á l'école) and the Minnesota Project Opera.
She has premiered works by Agnieszka Zdrojek-Suchodolska, Nicolas Bacri, Kryštof Maratka, and Reinaldo Moya. In 2017, she guest taught at the VI Taller para Jóvenes Clarinetistas organized by Clariperu, served as part of the international jury for the V Concurso de Bandas Escolares 2016 where she held a residency with PeruBandas and taught clarinet masterclasses in Cusco and Lima, Peru. Kristine performs exclusively on F.A. Uebel Clarinets, Silverstein Works, and Barkley Brazil Mouthpieces. |
RADOVAN CAVALLINRadovan Cavallin was born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1969. At age 13, Cavallin entered the Academy of Music at the University of Zagreb, becoming the youngest student ever admitted in the University’s history, graduating with honors and distinction in clarinet performance.
Since 1989, Radovan has been Principal Clarinet of Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he collaborated with conductors. Between 2002 and 2010, he was the Professor of Clarinet, Chamber Music, and Orchestral Repertoire at the Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Cavallin is a Selmer, Backun, Silverstein Works and D’Addario artist performing on Selmer “Privilege” clarinets, Backun MoBa “Arabesque” Mouthpiece and Silverstein “Hexa Carbon Black” ligature and D’Addario”Reserve Classic Evolution ” Reeds. |
CD LINER NOTES
Gordon Lewin, ‘Two of a Kind’Gordon Lewin is both the starting point and the finishing point of this album. He was born and studied in Manchester, and later went into studio work for films, radio, and TV, performing on over 100 film soundtracks, including for the series ‘Dr. Who’ and the film ‘Carry On’. Throughout his life, Lewin published more than 70 arrangements and compositions, specializing in woodwind instruments. ‘Two of a Kind’ is a five-part composition that gives the name to this album, a wonderful choice as it accentuates how two of the same instrument can have a distinct voice and rich dialogue. |
Francis Poulenc, ‘Sonata for Two Clarinets’A French composer and pianist, Poulenc was a part of the group of composers known as Les Six, whose work is regarded as a neoclassical antithesis of the impressionist and romantic movements. His compositions varied in nature, being more lively and irreverent early on, and transitioning into more grounded work later on — though always punctuating the heavier releases with lighter, happier compositions. ‘Sonata for Two Clarinets’ was written in 1918 and is composed of three short movements. This composition differs from other pieces for a clarinet duo both in the use of the clarinet and its rhythm. It’s an uncommon piece for its time, transcending it in a sense, making it perfect for this achronic album. |
Nicolas Bacri, ‘Mondorf Sonatina no.1’Nicolas Bacri is a prominent contemporary French composer whose work is loved and performed by some of the best contemporary musicians. He’s composed more than 140 works and describes his music as having elements of Classicism, Romanticism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. ‘Mondorf Sonatina no.1’ is Bacri’s 58th composition and was originally written for oboe and clarinet in 1997 that originally premiered by French oboist, François Leleux and Beglian clarinetist, Ronald van Spaendonck. This recording contains an arrangement performed with two clarinets. |
Paul Harvey, ‘Satiric Suite’Paul Harvey is a British clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and teacher. He worked as a freelance player for most of his career, playing for Orchestras and Philharmonics, but also doing film and recording sessions, as well as many West End Musicals. He now dedicates his time to teaching, composition, and writing, having published works, mostly for the clarinet and saxophone, spanning across different genres. Harvey’s humor comes through in ‘Satiric Suite’, an amusing playful game between the two clarinets. |
Richard Rodney Bennett, ‘Crosstalk for Two Clarinets’Sir Richard Rodney Bennett was an English pianist and composer of classical, jazz, and film music. He wrote for shows like ‘Dr. Who’ and movies such as ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, for which he won a BAFTA award, and ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’. Bennett’s work is eclectic, though his music generally didn’t stylistically cross over between genres. His classical work was modernist and serialist in nature, and ‘Crosstalk for Two Clarinets’ brings out the dialogic nature present throughout this album. |
Eric Mandat, ‘Ritual’Eric Mandat is a contemporary American clarinetist and composer who creates groundbreaking compositions by focusing on exploring the many capabilities of the clarinet, notably multiphonics, microtones, and timbral modulations. An eccentric composer and performer, Mandat incorporates unusual elements into his work, such as technology like motion tracking and kinetic cameras to make sound. ‘Ritual’ is a composition from 2000, described as ‘slow, contemplative with extensive choreography for the adventurous duo’ (Eric Manda, 2000). The optional choreography is a signature of Mandat’s playfulness and creativity. |
Benito Cabrera, ‘Una sobre el mismo mar’Benito Cabrera is a Canarian timple composer and musician. He spent most of his life in the Canary Islands, and is an important contributor to Canarian culture, having written the official hymn for the region, as well as the deeply important song ‘Nube de Hielo’. As this album was recorded in the Canary Islands, it was important to recognize and honor this important artist by performing a version of ‘Una sobre el mismo mar’ for the clarinet, done by Samuel Hernández. |
Nino Díaz, ‘8 Pajazzadas’Nino Díaz is one of the most prolific and internationally recognized living composers from the Canary Islands. His work is performed all over the world by a variety of highly regarded musicians, such as Valeri Gergiev and Carlos Karlmar. ‘8 Pajazzadas’ is, as the name suggests, an eight-part composition. The name ‘pajazzada’ is a combination of the Spanish word ‘payasada’ — clownery in English — and Jazz, which explains the fun and fluid nature of this piece. |
Nuno Díaz, ‘Roque Nublo’‘Roque Nublo’ is an original composition by Nuno Díaz written for this album. It’s a re-working of the Canarian song ‘Sombra Del Nublo’, by Néstor Álamo, one of the greatest composers of Canarian popular music. Díaz took the original song and explored and transformed its components. This resulted in a composition that’s challenging to perform at times, but works well for a clarinet duo and fully takes advantage of the characteristics of the instrument. |
Gordon Lewin, ‘Views of the Blues’The closer for this album is Gordon Lewin’s ‘Views of the Blues’. This blues composition feels like listening to a conversation between old friends, bouncing between agreements and disagreements, and melancholic nostalgia. |