Tyrannosaurus Sue introduces young listeners to the story of dinosaurs as well as the world of concert music. The solo instruments display dazzling virtuosity in their vivid representation of the main characters of the piece – Tyrannosaurus Sue (trombone); a Troodon (clarinet); a Parasaurolophus (bassoon); and a Triceratops (French horn). The final scene is cast as a brief, intense violin concerto that celebrates the ability of humans to discover and remember the past; the solo violin represents the dawn of humanity.The bones of the real Tyrannosaurus rex named Sue are on permanent display in The Field Museum in Chicago. Instrumentation: Oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, percussion, two violins, viola, cello, and double bass.Tyrannosaurus Sue premiered on May 21, 2000 at the Field Museum in Chicago, IL, during the unveiling of Sue, a 67-million year old fossilized dinosaur. Her 5.2-foot skull had 60 teeth, some as long as 12 inches. Although her skull weighed nearly one ton when found, her brain cavity was just big enough to hold a single quart of milk!Duration: 26:27 BRUCE ADOLPHE NPR’s comic keyboard quiz-master and creator of Piano Puzzlers, Bruce Adolphe actually spends most of his time writing music in his own style. Whether it’s about a fugitive turkey, a mysterious message from the moon, a teenage T. rex, or a Sarcastic Fringehead fish, Bruce’s music captures the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages. His Tyrannosaurus Sue: A Cretaceous Concerto premiered at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and was recorded in 2000 by The Chicago Chamber Musicians, and has since been performed by ensembles throughout the US and abroad. Among his other frequently performed works are Red Dogs and Pink Skies: A Musical Celebration of Paul Gauguin; Oceanophony; and two story pieces written with author Louise Gikow – Tough Turkey in the Big City and The Purple Palace. With Julian Fifer, Bruce co-founded PollyRhythm Productions, an education company that links music to science, literature, art, history, and daily life by creating new works and accompanying curricula. Bruce has also composed music for Itzhak Perlman, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the National Symphony, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Beaux Arts Trio, Sylvia McNair, the Brentano Quartet, and many others. Known for a style that combines comedy and musical scholarship, he has been the lecturer of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 1992 and a featured speaker at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art since 2001. He has written three books on the art of listening to music: The Mind’s Ear: Exercises for Improving the Musical Imagination; What to Listen for in the World; and Of Mozart, Parrots, and Cherry Blossoms in the Wind: A Composer Explores Mysteries of the Musical Mind. He lives in New York City with his wife, the pianist Marija Stroke, their daughter Katja, and Polly Rhythm, the opera-singing parrot.