Search results for: 'evan zegiel'

with Piano

This work was composed largely during the summer of 2017, after a few attempts at writing shorter pieces for tuba and piano earlier in the year. It is not a programmatic work, as many of my works often are. Rather, it is my attempt at contributing to the tuba repertoire in terms “absolute music,” as Brahms so famously called it.

I. This movement is rather upbeat, and it is simple in terms of its harmonic content. There are a few moments of deviation, and interruptions of the melody, but performers and audiences should find it to be palatable overall. The beginning of this movement subjects a clear theme to a few harmonic shifts and brief developmental moments. The turbulent middle section of the movement was inspired by the Sturm und Drang style popularized by Haydn and Hozart in the Classical period. The end of the movement sees the return of the theme rather abruptly and confidently, and finishes triumphantly.

II. Bach has always been a large influence on me, as he has undoubtedly been to every other composer after him. This movement is somewhat of my homage to him. The melodic content is less theme-focused than the prior movement, allowing for longer stretches of melismatic writing in the solo part. The accompaniment in this movement is thicker than that of the first movement, and requires more pedaling, contributing a darker and heavier tone to the movement as a whole.

III. This final movement draws heavily on my love of French music, especially that of Bozza’s music for brass instruments. The movement begins with a dance like quality, and it is very jovial. The melodies then begin to stretch out, growing more dissonant as the movement progresses, until finally dissolving into a rather haunting section involving disparate notes in the piano and tone clusters. This section demands more of the soloist in terms of technique than any other movement of the piece. Eventually, after a brief cadenza, the main thematic material returns to finish out the movement “with a bang!”

Music from the CD "Under Tennessee Skies" featuring Tubist Chris Combest.  

All the music was written for Chris and was supported by an MTSU Faculty Creative Activities Grant

Tennessee Journey (Tuba and Piano) - Barbara York

Synchronous Fireflies (Tuba, Piano and optional Percussion - Evan Zegiel

Under Tennessee Skies (unaccompanied Tuba) - Jamey Simmons

Broken Echoes (unaccompanied Tuba) - Brad Baumgardener

Becoming (Tuba and Vibraphone) - Brian Mueller

Nashville Nightlife (Tuba, Percussion and Piano) - Paul Osterfield

Among the Stately Pines was inspired by the campus of Interlochen Center for the Arts, where I worked part-time during the summer of 2021. Interlochen, both the town and the campus, has a rich history. One of the defining features of Interlochen has been the pines which dot the roadsides, and which help define the hiking trails scattered throughout the area.

This work for euphonium-tuba ensemble attempts to capture the pride, history, nostalgia, and progressive character of the institution of Interlochen Center for the Arts. Beyond its reflection on the campus of ICA, though, it is a reflection on the qualities of those places which lodge themselves in our memories. These places continue to pull us toward them, exerting their magnetism no matter how far we move beyond them.

One might imagine that our minds are forests filled with stately pines, that we continually hike trails which lead us to and from our most treasured memories. This work, then, provides a chance for audiences to lose themselves in the best of their pasts while looking hopefully toward the future. Learn More

I. The Whims of Hela

II. Ashes of Yggdrasil

III. Aegir's Elixir

for Aubrey Foard and Derek Fenstermacher Learn More

2 Trombones, Bass Trombone and Tuba Learn More

with Piano and optional percussion

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

unaccompanied

1. Australian Brush Fires
2. Melting Glaciers, Rising Seas
3. Super-Hurricane

2020 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival Unaccompanied Student Tuba Composition Contest Winner

with Piano;

With a background in rock and heavy metal, I figured it was time to write something in an art music setting using similar musical materials. The bass trombone is a great instrument for expressing aggression, and thus fits this style very well. However, there are many moments of lyrical and romantic playing which find their way into this piece. These “happier” elements eventually win out in the end, which is where the title comes from. “Bone to Pick” is essentially a musical narration of the path of an argument.