Urban Legends

Program Note: "'Urban Legends' was commissioned by the Sphinx Organization, and premiered by the Harlem Quartet and the Sphinx Symphony at the annual Sphinx Competition in February, 2012. 

URBAN LEGENDS was given its Los Angeles premiere by the Inner City Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director Charles Dickerson at Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2019.

The piece has flavors of many forms of American music, including rock, jazz, hip-hop, EDM, in a contemporary concert music setting. This is the piece that inspired Jordan Peele to ask Abels to score his film GET OUT (2017)." - Michael Abels

Mixed Ensemble: String Quartet and Symphony Orchestra

Accent / Mixed Meter / Rhythmic Pattern / Syncopation: Click here to view the sheet music! "Version 1" and "Version 2" of the pattern happen one after the other. The only difference between them is the very last measure.

Suggested Activity: Watch your teacher clap the quarter note pulse with the recording, then clap along! Then if you're up for another a challenge, practice conducting along with the pattern. Review your 4/4 and 3/4 beat patterns. The conducting pattern is 4/4, 3/4, 4/4, 4/4. Can you do it?

(Note: If the piece is too fast to follow along with, change the Playback Speed to 0.75% or less!)