![]() ![]() My choir offered a modest honorarium and got the chance to premiere this terrific new work, Mexican Fantasies, in fall of 2014. ![]() After sending me samples of a quartet arrangement of some movements of his recent solo studies, Fantasias Mexicanas, Mike announced a plan to expand this intensely expressive and rhythmically complex work for larger forces. His compositional process often leads him to re-set his quartets for larger forces, (his quartet Global Tour has been equally successful in its clarinet choir version). Mike composes in diverse ethnic styles from klezmer to huapango for varied combinations of clarinets (and other winds.) Many of his clarinet quartets, such as Bulgarian Bat Bite and Klezmer Wedding, are also well known in other versions. A recent collaboration by my 16-member Los Angeles Clarinet Choir with west-coast woodwind doubler and composer Mike Curtis is a case in point. Sometimes a composer writes with multiple orchestrations in mind from the outset. Composers need money, but they also need performances and recognition for their work. Lack the funds for a commission? Friendship with a composer might even result in an outright gift of a new work in exchange for the promise of performance opportunities, performances plus an offer to cover some expenses, or perhaps a collaboration on a grant proposal to fund work time or copying costs. In these pages, we have noted these trends with the British Clarinet Ensemble (June, 2013 Volume 40 #3), the Finnish Clarinet Ensemble (Sept., 2008 Volume 35 #4), the New York Licorice Ensemble (December, 2013 Volume 40 #1), and, with the current golden era of contemporary Japanese wind music including much music for clarinet choirs, the work of two generations of talented Japanese composers commissioned by hundreds of school, association, and community groups to write concert and competition pieces (March, 2012 Volume 39 #2). Distinguished composers for wind band have often been very open to writing for ensembles of clarinets. Other choirs might collaborate with a composer or arranger known to the ensemble as a performing member or friend. Ensembles with deeper pockets can approach favored composers with the possibility of a full commission or honorarium. Among contemporary clarinet choirs, Guido Six, the prolific Belgian composer/clarinetist conductor of Claribel (June, 2014 Volume 41 #3), continues this tradition. Historically, famous large 20th-century choirs such as that of Simeon Bellison in pre-WWII New York ( The Clarinet: March 2010 Volume 37 #2) and Harvey Hermann at the University of Illinois (March 2009 Volume 36 #2) programmed new symphonic arrangements made by the conductors themselves (or in Hermann's case, his students, such as the excellent Daniel Freeman). In this column I've already profiled many clarinet choirs that have added significantly to the repertoire. Find a way to add to the development of this unique medium by generating new music. Invite your composer friend to hear your amazing ensemble. ![]() Websites of established clarinet choirs, playlists of their recordings, music publisher listings, specialty wind music dealer inventories, composer websites, YouTube performances, and back-issues of The Clarinet containing this column all can contain titles that might be perfect for your group.īut there's a second answer for experienced clarinet choirs: leave a legacy! Get something written for your group. Since 2007, when I started writing this column, the most common question I've received from readers is a basic one: how do you find new repertoire? For a young group seeking to build a library my answer is simple: an internet search on the term “clarinet choir” can be revelatory. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |