Hailstork’s beautifully lilting SICILIANA for solo saxophone is actually structured as a recitative and aria: a dramatic prelude serves as a soliloquy with question-like pauses, teasing our ears forward. This opening unfolds into a gorgeous rendering of the traditional 12/8 dance form, full of soaring melodies and elegant arabesques.

SICILIANA’s technical demands are within the reach of students looking for unaccompanied contest repertoire, while the expressive potential is enticing for adva...