Search results for: 'under tennessee skies'

2 tubas (or 2 bass trombones)

or tuba/bass trombone with downloadable backing tracks (downloads included for both parts 1 and 2) – recorded by Zach Collins

Concert Duets is a collection of 14 arrangements of works by prominent 18^th-century composers, mostly taken from Trio Sonatas. Duet 11 is a Jim Self original work in the Rococo style; and Duets 12, 13 and 14 are arrangements of the three-movements of the Bach Concerto for Two Violins. Included with this edition are play-along recorded tracks by tubist Zach Collins, who also served as editor of the current edition.

I created these duets as Christmas gifts for my tuba playing friends, with the first duet being arranged in 1976.  All 14 of the duets are challenging and fun to play and are especially effective as concert pieces.

As a young musician I had the privilege of playing duets with many of the world’s finest tubists including Harvey Phillips, John Fletcher, Bob Pallansch, Chester, Schmitz, Dan Perantoni, Toby Hanks, Ron Bishop, Winston Morris and Tommy Johnson. I learned more about playing music in these duo sessions than from any other musical activity I have ever experienced. Duets are powerful teaching tools for learning and mastering rhythm, phrasing and intonation and for developing overall musicianship.

Jim Self:

Self (b. 1943) is a Los Angeles free-lance musician, a veteran of thousands of Hollywood motion pictures, television shows and records, and tuba soloist on many prominent movies. His tuba was the “Voice of the Mothership” in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is Principal Tuba/Cimbasso with the Pacific and Pasadena Symphonies and the Los Angeles Opera and Hollywood Bowl Orchestras. Formerly he was in The U.S. Army Band and tuba / euphonium professor at the University of Tennessee. He holds a DMA from the USC Thornton School of Music where he is Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Chamber Music. His compositions and arrangements include works for solo tuba, brass quintet, other brass, string and woodwind chamber music, wind band and orchestra. Jim has produced many solo jazz and classical recordings. His music and recordings are available from Potenza Music and www.jimself.com. Jim Self is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Zach Collins, editor:

Zach Collins is professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2019, he released his first solo album, Chronicle. It was recognized with the 2021 ITEA Roger Bobo Award for Excellence in Recording for the best Solo Tuba Album.

His interpretation of William Kraft’s Encounters II for Solo Tuba was released on Cambria Master Recordings. Zach performs with Eastern Standard, a horn, tuba, piano trio he formed with Heidi Lucas and Jacob Ertl. The ensemble has released two commercial albums, Eastern Standard and Wanderlust.

Zach regularly performs with the Keystone Chamber Winds, Altoona Symphony Orchestra, and West Virginia Symphony Orchestras. His compositions and arrangements for brass and for tuba and euphonium can be purchased from Cimarron Music and Eighth Note Publications. Zach earned degrees from Texas Christian University and the University of Southern California. His primary teachers have been Richard Murrow, Jim Self, Tommy Johnson, and Norm Pearson. Zach Collins is a Miraphone artist.

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Known throughout the world as a founding member, music programmer and arranger for the Boston Brass, JD Shaw has also performed in the Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Missouri Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic and the Boston Pops. He has also been a featured performer on NPR’s “Performance Today” and the CBS Morning Show.

Prof. Shaw received a Bachelor of Music from Wichita State University, where he studied with Dr. Nicholas E. Smith, and a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate under the tutelage of horn pedagogue Verne Reynolds. As an active performer and prolific arranger, Shaw has recorded over fifteen albums encompassing diverse musical styles from the classical, jazz and Latin genres. His record labels include Loft Recordings, Mark Records and Summit Records. A notable recent project featured the Boston Brass recording the “Stan Kenton Christmas Carols” with many well-known brass players, such as Scott Hartman, Jens Lindemann, Scott Thornburg, Jeff Nelsen and Sam Pilafian.

Prof. Shaw has presented numerous clinics and workshops for music educators, as well as masterclasses for students of all ages and levels. In addition to his credentials as a horn performer and teacher, he is the Brass Program Director and Music Arranger for the Phantom Regiment, the reigning Drum Corps International World Champion.

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with Piano; O Beautiful for Spacious Skies; Give Me Your Tired; My Country. "Tis of Thee; You're A Grand Old Flag; Yankee Doodle Dandy; My Love Is In Germany; When Johnny Comes Marching Home Learn More

Clarinet and Narrator

I. Early Bird from Where the Sidewalk Ends

II. Fish? from Where the Sidewalk Ends

III. Little Pig’s Treat from Falling Up

From the composer:

This is the last of the Animal Antics pieces. These charming poems are all from Shel Silverstein’s books. Hopefully these little songs will send the message to adults that they need to go to the place that children know; essentially telling adults to take a step back and to take on the point of view of a child to find the life and joy that they have.

- Lori Ardovino

 

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6 Trombones and 2 Bass Trombones; For the 50th anniversary of the University of Tennessee Trombone Choir, 2015 Learn More

EEEETTT

Composer Kevin McKenzie says, “Axis deals with 2 themes that were inspired by the music of Dmitri Shostakovich and their interaction with each other while new thematic motifs are added throughout. This piece was written for the University of Memphis Tuba Ensemble’s second CD entitled Axis, under the direction of Kevin Sanders. First premiered at the Tennessee’s Music Educator Conference in 2014, this work was also performed at ITEC that same year.”

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8 parts; for Winston Morris and the Tennessee Technological University Tuba Ensemble Learn More

with Vibraphone

Written for Chris Combest and recorded on his solo album "Under Tennessee Skies" Creation of this work was supported by an MTSU Faculty Creative Activities Grant

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For Oboe and Piano, "Bombur's Dream" is a three movement work that is a wonderful recital piece.

Program notes from the composer: 

For those who may need to brush up on their dwarf-lore, Bombur was one of thirteen dwarves featured in J. R. R. Tolkien’s book, The Hobbit. Along with the title character, Bilbo Baggins, and Gandalf the wizard, Bombur and the other dwarves set out on a long and dangerous quest to recover a vast treasure which had been stolen by the dragon Smaug. Along the way, Bombur stumbled into an enchanted river and promptly fell into a deep sleep from which he could not be awakened for several days. This meant that his friends had to carry him along with all their gear. (It should be noted that Bombur had what we might call a keen appreciation for fine cuisine; because of his resulting avoirdupois he was not an easy burden to bear.)

Eventually Bombur awoke but, according to Tolkien, when he learned that there was nothing to eat, he sat down on the ground and wept. “Why did I ever wake up?” he cried. “I was having the most beautiful dreams!”

The first movement of this piece has to do with Bombur’s lovely dreams and the second with his sorrow upon awakening. The third movement, “King Under the Mountain” is a cortège for the dwarves’ officious leader, Thorin Oakenshield. Bombur’s Dream is dedicated to the composer’s wife, the oboist Susan Joyce.

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unaccompanied

Written for Chris Combest and recorded on his solo album "Under Tennessee Skies" Creation of this work was supported by an MTSU Faculty Creative Activities Grant

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with Piano

Capriccio sull’ Opera Foscari is Giuseppe Cappelli’s fantasy on themes from Giuseppe Verdi’s (1813-1901) opera I due Foscari, a three-act lyric opera set to a libretto by Franceso Maria Piave and adapted from Lord Bryon’s five-act play The Two Foscari. The first performance took place on November 3, 1844, a the Teatro Argentina in Rome.

Il due Foscari takes place in 15-th century Venice. The two Foscari are the city’s Doge, Francesco, and his son, Jacopo, who has just returned from exile for a murder he did not commit. He has been brought back to Venice to stand trial for treason, a crime for which he is also innocent. Since Venice has come under the power of the corrupt I Dieci (The Council of Ten), neither the pleas of the powerful Doge nor his wife, Lucrezia, can save him. Jacopo is found guilty and dies on the ship as it leaves to take him to exile. His father is forced to step down as Doge and, realizing that his life is almost over, falls to the ground and dies.

Opening music from Giuseppe Capelli’s Capriccio comes from the agitated string tutti of Act I, Scene 2, interspersed with cadenzas in the Eb clarinet. At measure 9, the Eb clarinet solo is a direct statement of Lucrezia’s plea to God for comfort, Ah, si confronto ai miseri! Lucrezia’s aria at bar 18, Tu pur lo sai, occurs in the Finale to Act I. Here she pleads with the Doge to do something to stop her beloved Jacopo from being condemned. His impassioned reply at bar 35, Oltre ogni umano cedere, begs her to console him in his misery for there is nothing he can do. Their duet from bar 50 concludes the andante section with Lucrezia’s role played by the E-flat clarinet and the piano contributing the voice of the Doge. Closing music to Cappelli’s Capriccio is a large choral number taken from Act III, Scene 1 where the piano is the voice of Jacopo as he bids farewell to his wife and father. The work concludes with original music by Cappelli.

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Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana has been arranged by J.D. Shaw for Brass Quintet.

Known throughout the world as a founding member, music programmer and arranger for the Boston Brass , JD Shaw has also performed in the Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Missouri Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic and the Boston Pops. He has also been a featured performer on NPR’s “Performance Today” and the CBS “Morning Show.”

Prof. Shaw received a Bachelor of Music from Wichita State University, where he studied with Dr. Nicholas E. Smith, and a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music. where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate under the tutelage of horn pedagogue Verne Reynolds.

As an active performer and prolific arranger, Shaw has recorded over fifteen albums encompassing diverse musical styles from the classical, jazz, and Latin genres. His record labels include Loft Recordings, Mark Records, and Summit Records. A notable recent project featured the Boston Brass recording the “Stan Kenton Christmas Carols” with many well-known brass players, such as Scott Hartman, Jens Lindemann, Scott Thornburg, Jeff Nelsen, and Sam Pilafian.

Prof. Shaw has presented numerous clinics and workshops for music educators, as well as masterclasses for students of all ages and levels. In addition to his credentials as a horn performer and teacher, he is the Brass Program Director and Music Arranger for the Phantom Regiment, the reigning Drum Corps International World Champion.

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Commissioned by the Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble, R. Winston Morris, director Learn More

Herbert Lincoln Clarke was among the foremost cornet soloists and brass pedagogues of the latter 19th and early to mid-20th centuries and was, as well, a noted band conductor.  Born in Massachusetts in 1867, Clarke began his musical life as a violinist under the tutelage of his father.  He learned to play the cornet in his early teens and therein found his destiny.  He was soloist with numerous bands, but most notably with the famous bands of Patrick Gilmore and John Philip Sousa.  Clarke spent the last twenty years of his career as conductor of the Long Beach Municipal Band, one of the premier bands of that time period.  His students include the noted trumpet players and teachers Ernest Williams and Claude Gordon who themselves produced subsequent influential brass pedagogy materials.

The Technical Studies for Cornet (first published in 1912 and presented here as Technical Studies for Euphonium (Trombone) and Tuba) are but one of several pedagogical resources assembled by Mr. Clarke.  His elementary studies and characteristic studies are fine works, however, the technical studies are probably among the most widely used etudes of all time in brass pedagogy, perhaps second only to the method of the famous Jean Baptiste Arban.

For more information about Herbert L. Clarke, his life, performances, and pedagogy, visit the following website:

http://www.library.uiuc.edu/sousa

We also recommend a comprehensive doctoral dissertation on Clarke’s life written by Dr. James Madeja, titled “The Life and Work of Herbert L. Clarke.”  Consult your local librarian for information on obtaining this important research work.

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with Piano (band version available soon)

Ms. Wan-Yun Liang is a young Taiwanese woman composer, whose works mostly focus on winds chamber music as well as ensemble works. The Euphonium Concerto, Ms. Liang’s latest composition, was commissioned by Shih-Yao Huang, a Taiwanese Baritone player, and the winds ensemble of National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. This Concerto contains three movements. The first movement is in a sonata form with two contrasting style melodies. The second movement is titled “Rondo” and the main theme is played by the Alto Saxophone player. In the middle section of this movement, the music turns into a charming waltz and which leads goes back to the beginning section. The third movement is a fast dancing movement with a slow introduction. As a brass player herself, Ms. Liang is willing to give the solo part many fast tonguing passages as well lyrical melodies to demonstrate the specific characteristics of this instrument. This work was premiered in July 7^th, 2018, by Shih-Yao Huang and the winds ensemble of National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan, under the direction of Chwan-Yaw Foo.             

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with Wind Band (also available with Piano accompaniment)

This work was commissioned by Timothy Northcut in honor of Winston Morris, professor of tuba and euphonium at Tennessee Tech University since 1967. Among many others, his former students—both Tim and I included—call him a mentor, friend, and genuine hero to the tuba-euphonium world. Anyone who’s met Winston knows that he’s a larger-than-life character, and our goal was to capture a snapshot of that character within the piece.

The first movement, RWM, is constructed from a rhythmic motive that forms the basis of the entire work: 1/4 note followed by 4 1/8 notes

This motive, based on the name ‘R. Winston Morris’, becomes the driving force throughout the work, acting as a musical anchor point. The entrance of the solo tuba introduces the main musical theme that goes on to form much of the melodic material. Conceptually, the first movement represents a day in September of 1967 as Morris began his career at Tennessee Tech University. Beginning with a gentle, noble theme, the mood quickly builds and shifts into an energetic and sometimes whimsical whirlwind. The end of the movement relentlessly hammers out the motive—a tribute to Winston’s unrelenting musical drive. This abruptly shifts with the final note, moving seamlessly into the second movement.

The second movement, Sweet Steel, is dedicated in loving memory to Barbara “Bobbie” Morris. Although the tone is very dark and brooding, it’s ultimately a love song by the soloist, journeying through the stages of grief. From the darkness a second theme, hopeful and uplifting, rises to a heartfelt climax.

The final movement, Cookevegas, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Cookeville, TN, home of Winston and Tennessee Tech University. His love of jazz is a major influence on this hectic, jazzy trip through the small Southern city. A return of the driving ‘RWM’ motive from the first movement brings the concerto to its finale.

Recording is from the premiere with the U.S. Army Band:

https://www.usarmyband.com/tuba/index.html

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with Piano

This work was commissioned by Timothy Northcut in honor of Winston Morris, professor of tuba and euphonium at Tennessee Tech University since 1967. Among many others, his former students—both Tim and I included—call him a mentor, friend, and genuine hero to the tuba-euphonium world. Anyone who’s met Winston knows that he’s a larger-than-life character, and our goal was to capture a snapshot of that character within the piece.

The first movement, RWM, is constructed from a rhythmic motive that forms the basis of the entire work: 1/4 note followed by 4 1/8 notes

This motive, based on the name ‘R. Winston Morris’, becomes the driving force throughout the work, acting as a musical anchor point. The entrance of the solo tuba introduces the main musical theme that goes on to form much of the melodic material. Conceptually, the first movement represents a day in September of 1967 as Morris began his career at Tennessee Tech University. Beginning with a gentle, noble theme, the mood quickly builds and shifts into an energetic and sometimes whimsical whirlwind. The end of the movement relentlessly hammers out the motive—a tribute to Winston’s unrelenting musical drive. This abruptly shifts with the final note, moving seamlessly into the second movement.

The second movement, Sweet Steel, is dedicated in loving memory to Barbara “Bobbie” Morris. Although the tone is very dark and brooding, it’s ultimately a love song by the soloist, journeying through the stages of grief. From the darkness a second theme, hopeful and uplifting, rises to a heartfelt climax.

The final movement, Cookevegas, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Cookeville, TN, home of Winston and Tennessee Tech University. His love of jazz is a major influence on this hectic, jazzy trip through the small Southern city. A return of the driving ‘RWM’ motive from the first movement brings the concerto to its finale.

Recording is from the premiere with the U.S. Army Band:

https://www.usarmyband.com/tuba/index.html

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4 Trombones and 8 Percussion: The character of this music is strongly influenced by jazz and Latin music. The intriguing rhythms and soaring melodies combined with the implied theatre suggested by the staging, make this a sophisticated, yet accessible composition that is rewarding to perform and listen to. The 4 trombone parts may be performed with a quartet; however, it is desirable to have multiple players used on each part except in those areas where the score specifically specifies one player on a part for a particular passage. The unique instrumentation of this ensemble, combined with the prevalence of numerous colleges and universities that have trombone choirs and percussion ensembles, make this a concert work that is destined to become standard literature. "Somewhat contemporary sounding, with jazz and Latin influences, one's interest is held for the entirety. The two instrument families are well integrated throughout. Some sections are extremely lyrical in the percussion ensemble and rhythmic in the trombones, vice versa in others. This compositional technique allows for great clarity throughout the work. An enjoyable work for the performers and audience." -Susan Martin Tariq, Percussive Notes Magazine. Dedicated to Tom Brantley and Robert McCormick. The University of South Florida Trombone Choir and Percussion Ensemble premiered it in Tampa, Florida on January 21, 2012 under the direction of Robert McCormick. Learn More

The melody of Danny Boy comes from a traditional Irish tune named Londonderry Air. The 
piece was popularized under the title Danny Boy after the lyrics were written in 1910 by 
Frederic Edward Weatherly.  

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