This nineteenth installment is proposed by Bert Langeler, Artistic leader and conductor of Estonian National Conductors Orchestra, Conductor Tallinn Music & Ballet School Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Estonian National Song and Dance festival Windorchestra Artistic Director and Conductor, Viljandi and Tõrva Musicschool Wind Orchestra conductor. Brass pedagogue. WASBE member since 1983, Boardmember 2013-2019, repertoire committee.
Grade 1
After the Rain (2021) – 3’05'' – Purchase at J.W. Pepper
Matt Neufeld (Winnipeg, Canada, 1985)
Composer Matt Neufeld creates a somber and thoughtful mood with his new work, After the Rain. Mallet percussion, percussion effects, and snapping from the wind players create the sound of a gentle rain as beautiful chords and melodies swell and recede from the wind consort. Written to be accessible for younger players, this gorgeous lyrical work will provide your ensemble with opportunities for expressive playing and tone development. A wonderful addition to the repertoire for developing ensembles.
Matt Neufeld is a graduate of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, who does his best to compose, teach and play music for as many people as he can convince or coerce. Matt spends most of his days working with amazing band students at Oak Park High School in Winnipeg, where he's been teaching since 2022.
Grade 2.5/3
Sea Journey (2012) (Estonian: “Meresõit”) – 3’56” – Purchase at GMF Baltic States OÜ, Publishing
Riivo Jõgi (Põlva, Estonia, 1987)
The wind orchestra piece “ Sea Journey ” (Estonian: „Meresõit“) was written in 2012. It is a program piece that could be described by the following: the ship leaves the port festively, the trip starts joyfully and hopefully. Everything goes smoothly until the night falls and the storm rises. There is tension in the air but the storm soon passes and a peaceful morning dawns at sea. Merry sailors prepare the ship to set sail again and the journey at sea may continue.The idea of creating “ Sea Journey ” came from an event that took place 100 years ago . In 1912 the Titanic, the world’s most famous ship, sank. The composition ends on a brighter note but the tense part in the middle of the piece could be seen as commemorating the tragic event.
Riivo Jõgi (1987) started his musical studies in Põlva Music School, where he learned piano in Juta Ojala’s class. He graduated Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in professor Toomas Kapten’s class on choral and orchestral conducting (2011, 2012).Riivo Jõgi is a conductor of Põlva Music School String Orchestra, Nõmme Music School Symphony Orchestra and Tallinn Police Orchestra. In addition, he is a teacher for singers and vocal ensembles in Põlva Music School, appreciated concertmaster and a board member of Estonian Symphony Orchestras Association.Riivo Jõgi has been one of the conductors at the Song Celebration in 2017 and 2019. His compositions for wind orchestras were played in 2014 (“Meresõit”/”Sea Journey”), 2017 (“Koduteel”/On the Way Home”) and 2019 (“Sinule, Eesti!”/”To you, Estonia!”). In 2017, symphony orchestras played his piece “Rännak”/”Journey”, which is a suite of Estonia’s older generation’s composers’ pieces. Among other things, Riivo has gained a state award of Non-formal Education Teacher of the Year (2020), Estonian Symphony Orchestras Association’s award of the year (2017), Põlva County’s badge of merit and a title of Young Orchestra Conductor of the Year (2015).
Grade 4.5
Taiga (2016-2018) – 5’10” – Purchase at J.W. Pepper
Ilari Hylkilä (Toholampi, Finland)
“Taiga” is music inspired by the nature and wildlife of boreal forest. In 2016 Ilari Hylkilä wrote Taiga Tapiola Sinfonietta. In 2018 the composer arranged Taiga completely for a concert band. The concert band version was premiered by Helsinki Police Symphonic Band & Chief Conductor Sami Ruusuvuori together with OVO, the Aesthetic Group Gymnastics. In “Taiga” the composer uses different characters and colorful moments for soloists as well in the tutti passages. In the middle energetic part, he uses frullato in the woodwinds in the rest moments. In the following movements smooth woodwind part with joint harp. It is an enjoyable piece in the concert program. The composer has drawn a musical image of the snowy forest characterized by coniferous forests consisting mainly of pine, spruce and larch.
Ilari Hylkilä is a Finnish composer and melody lover, whose music has often been described as "cinematic". His works span across various genres, ranging from symphony orchestras and sinfoniettas to wind bands, chamber ensembles, a cappella groups, big bands, and folk music groups. Most of his music is commissioned concert music, although it has been used in audiovisual productions as well. Hylkilä's music has been performed at many major festivals such as Basel Tattoo, Avenches Tattoo, Sweden International Tattoo and Hamina Tattoo.
His music has been performed and/or recorded by various ensembles, including the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Vantaa Orchestra (Vantaan viihdeorkesteri), The Joensuu City Orchestra (Joensuun kaupunginorkesteri), University of Helsinki Symphony Orchestra, Symphony orchestra of the University of Jyväskylä, Finnish Symphonic Wind Professionals (FSWP), the Guards Band, the Dragoon Band, The Navy Band, the Conscript Band of the Finnish Defense Forces, Ostrobothnia Jazz Orchestra, Suffolk Symphony Orchestra, UBC Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Rowan Wind Ensemble, and many others.
Grade 3+
Is it the End (2022) – 8’50” – Purchase at hubert-hoche.de
Hubert Hoche (Germany 1966)
"Is it the end?" was commissioned by the Symphonic Wind Orchestra of the Musik & Kunstschule Velbert. The conductor, Alexander Ruffing, wanted a composition to fit the theme of the concert program, climate change and sustainability. Thus "Is it the end?" deals with the topic of the human race's will to survive on planet earth. In special regard to the way people deal with their planet earth, which currently still ensures survival. However, since not all people, especially the governments of the countries of the world, show the necessary will for a long overdue change in environmental policy, the composition rather shows a gloomy overview of the whence and whither of humans and sees itself as a basis for discussion. The visual aspect and the communication with players in the audience could give the performance an extra dimension. As well the composer highly recommends this work, because of the deep suggestive value for the development process of the wind orchestra.
Composer Hubert Hoche was born in Germany and develop himself, after an apprenticeship as carpenter, with the studies composition and conducting at the University of Music Franz Liszt in Weimar, followed by postgraduate studies in composition. Further studies with Prof. Michel Philippot (Paris), Bernhard Haitink (Luzern) and Jan Cober (Leipzig). Now he is active as a composer and conductor.
Grade 5
Les Papillons (1987) Suite de Ballet – 10'15'' – Purchase at www.molenaar.com
Coby Lankester (Amsterdam, NL, 18 February 1918 - 18 October 2002)
Orchestration: Johan de Meij (The Netherlands, 1953)
The Ballet Suites “Les Papillons” (butterflies), written by the Dutch female composer/pianist Coby Lankester, was originally intended for solo piano and served to accompany ballets. Composer and orchestrator Johan de Meij became interested in this work and decided to score it for a concert Band.
The five movements of this suite have been given suspicious names, describing a few “colourful” members of the butterfly family, thus providing the setting for this subtle and delicate impressionistic work.
In the first movement, it is the "Small White" (Petit Blanc du Chou) that hovers over the flowers and shrubs in her gay and carefree manner, warmed by a pale springtime sun. The second movement shows us the “Painted Lady” (“La Belle Dame”) who quietly glides on the sounds of a “Valse Musette” played by the Alto Saxophone. The third movement breathes the quiet and gracious charm of the "Peacock Butterfly" ("Paon de Nuit); the warm orchestral texture depicts the splendid colours of her frail wings. The fourth movement brings about a contrasting effect compared to the third: solo for trumpet and E-flat clarinet supported by playful dissonance and solid accompaniment. Figurations serve to draw the attention to the capricious way in which the "Wall Butterfly" (Le Satyre) flies from one flower to the other. And finally in the last movement, there is the "Swallow Tail" (Le Grand Porte-Quene) showing off her hot-blooded temper. Her fierce rhythmical dance is alternated by a sultry Habanera which leads to a sparkling finale.
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