Michael Jefry Stevens

Chamber Music

Classical music has always been an integral part of my musical life.  I have a deep love for Chopin, Bach, Ravel, Bartok, Beethoven, Stravinsky and a plethora of other composers from the deep well of great Classical music.  Over my career I have composed a variety of through composed pieces for various instruments.  Genres include music for voice, strings, brass, piano, woodwinds and a piece for small chamber orchestra.  All these pieces will now be available on my web site to listen to and download.

Chamber Music prices range from $9.95 to $59.95 and include all parts and score as PDF’s5

DIFFICULT  The Two piano/violin duets were composed in the 1980s for a composition class at Juilliard.  The two pieces contrast each other.  The one that starts out in A minor is quite romantic and melodic, while the other piece is whimsical, almost atonal in nature. 

DIFFICULT  The Two piano/violin duets were composed in the 1980s for a composition class at Juilliard.  The two pieces contrast each other.  The one that starts out in A minor is quite romantic and melodic, while the other piece is whimsical, almost atonal in nature. 

DIFFICULT  Composed during my Master’s Degree (1994) studies at Queens College (CUNY),  the piece opens with a lengthy pizzicato accompaniment which is followed by violin and cello melodies.  There are multiple sections involved in the quartet but everything is written as one long movement. The piece is difficult but very melodic.  It is not tonal but it is not serial either.  

Mountain Song

Style: Swing

Grade: 4

I wrote this song while I was living in Brooklyn, NY and spending quite a bit of time in Woodstock, NY.  This is the closest thing to a “country music” song I have ever written.

Mountain Song

$1.95

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Alisiah

Style: swing
Grade: 1

For My Brother

Style: Ballad

Grade: 2

The harmonies move quite slowly in this ballad.  The most challenging aspect of the piece is the 2/4 bars.

For My Brother

$1.95

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Lei’s Song

Style: Waltz

Grade: 2

This is one of my favorite compositions.  Written in 3/4 time, but with phrases grouped in three’s, four’s and other odd groupings this is a very unique piece.  Also, it is made up entirely of minor 7 chords.

Lei’s Song

$3.95

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The Beauty That We Are

Style: Ballad

Grade: 1

This ballad is quite easy to play.  The changes move very slowly giving the student plenty of time to navigate the harmonic landscape.

The Beauty That We Are

$1.95

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The Moffett Family

Style: Blues

Grade: 2

This piece was composed in the early 1980's and dedicated to Charnett Moffett and his family band. I played with the band for one year. The tune is a simple form containing only dominant chords. The feel is very bluesy.

The Moffett Family

$2.95

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Red's Blues

Style: blues
Grade: 1

 This is a very simple “swing” composition with a bluesy feel but not in a Blues form. The changes are very simple.  The head is a question-and-answer with the melody and the rhythm section. Very simple piece and lots of fun.  A good piece to introduce the blues scale.

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Song for Rio

Style: latin
Grade: 3

 

I wrote this bossa nova after visiting Rio in 1959.  This a fun to play and the bridge of the song is quite chromatic.

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Memorial

Style: latin
Grade: 4

This piece features a Latin feel written out in the piano part.  The changes are pretty standard and move slowly enough for the student to navigate quite easily. The bridge of the tune is a fun release from all the harmonic movement in the beginning section of the composition.

The Innocence of Spring

This medium swing tune consists of an extended melody and long form.  The harmonies are very chromatic and include some hybrid chordal structures as well.

The Innocence of Spring

$3.95

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Kulturshock

Style: Swing

Grade: 5

This is a very adventurous composition. The harmonies are very difficult and the rhythms are quite unusual. A great challenge for the advanced player.

Kulturshock

$3.95

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Four Wheeler

Style: Swing

Grade: 2

An open swing feel features a chromatic chord sequence and several polychords.  The changes move quickly making the piece difficult for the soloist to navigate. The melody is not difficult but overall the piece is challenging.

Four Wheeler

$3.95

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A Summer's Morning

Style: Ballad
Grade: 3

A Summer’s Morning is a ballad with a very short 8 bar form. The changes all revolve around ii-V-I sequences in both major and minor keys.  A good piece for both beginners and intermediate players.

The Beauty That We Are

Style: ballad
Grade: 2

This ballad is quite easy to play.  The changes move very slowly giving the student plenty of time to navigate the harmonic landscape.