Uploaded October 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Duke Ellington & Mike Tomaro
arr. Chenyu Ma SY‘19

“In a Sentimental Mood” is a classic ballad composed by jazz legend Duke Ellington in 1935. Since then, the song has been widely performed by countless artists, most famous of which by John Coltrane and Duke in their 1963 album Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. Born out of a tobacco warehouse in North Carolina, the song features a simple yet mesmerizing melody, backed by lush chords. When I was arranging this typical combo or big band chart for the orchestra, instead of selecting a typical “jazz instrument” like a saxophone or a trumpet for the solo, I thought perhaps a violin would add some new colors to the palette. After all, anyone can play jazz.
The song starts with a standard big band intro, and then dives straight into the bow and brushes before a double-time picks up the pace. So sit back, close your eyes, and let our star violinist take you back to your memories.

Program Notes by Chenyu Ma