The 22nd installment of suggested repertoire by Dr. Janet Kim, Director of Wind Bands and Coordinator of Large Instrumental Ensembles at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. In this role, they conduct the UConn Wind Ensemble in addition to teaching Woodwind Techniques, advanced instrumental conducting, instrumental pedagogy and wind literature classes. They also oversee graduate wind conducting studies. Dr. Kim serves on the WASBE Online Coaching and Mentorship Committee.
Grade 3.5
Diamond Tide (2015) – 7’25" – Purchase at Viet Cuong Music
Viet Cuong (USA, 1990)
Perusal Score: htps://vietcuongmusic.com/diamond-tide/
Performance Considerations:
Cuong’s expert manipulation of percussion provides a unique color palette in Diamond Tide. With this piece, there are unique “melting” sounds that he references in his program notes. Diamond Tide comprises the use of water-filled crystal glasses and bowls, bowed mallet instruments, and crotales tied to strings. This special percussive element lends itself to more planning and time-management from your percussion section. Having marked crystal glasses and set bowls for each rehearsal that they can pre-prepare is key to managing time. It may also benefit the director to work with percussionists separately on the different techniques that include bending the crystal glass pitches, dipping crotales, etc. before working with the rest of the ensemble. Although it takes extra time, this is a special educational opportunity for all students, as these are vastly different timbres than what one might hear in a more traditional piece.
Diamond Tide has quick-changing dynamics and contrasting character between the two movements. The first movement displays the opportunity for a calmer, more balanced tide while the second quickly sways into more powerful, energetic waves of sonic depiction of liquid diamonds. This provides a lot of room for students to work on their articulation changes, dynamics, and overall style that lend itself to beautiful, simple phrases. There are some exposed solos for flute, clarinet, and saxophone, and your trombone section must be audible. Horn lines are important but are often doubled by other instruments to allow flexibility for less balanced ensemble settings.
Program Notes as provided by Composer:
A 2010 article published in Nature Physics details an experiment in which scientists were able to successfully melt a diamond and, for the first time, measure the temperature and pressure necessary to do so. When diamonds are heated to very high temperatures, they don’t melt; they simply turn into graphite, which then melts (and the thought of liquid graphite isn’t nearly as appealing or beautiful as liquid diamond.) Therefore, the addition of extremely high pressure -- 40 million times the pressure we feel on earth at sea level -- is crucial to melt a diamond.
The extreme temperature and pressure used in this experiment are found on Neptune and Uranus, and scientists therefore believe that seas of liquid diamond are possible on these two planets. Oceans of diamond may also account for these planets’ peculiar magnetic and geographic poles, which do not line up like they do here on earth. Lastly, as the scientists were melting the diamonds, they saw floating shards of solid diamond forming in the pools -- just like icebergs in our oceans. Imagine: distant planets with oceans of liquid diamond filled with bergs of sparkling solid diamonds drifting in the tide...
These theories are obviously all conjecture, but this alluring imagery provided heaps of inspiration for Diamond Tide, which utilizes the “melting” sounds of metallic water percussion and trombone glissandi throughout.
The work is in two movements, which may be performed separately.
Heartfelt thanks to Cheryl Floyd, Richard Floyd, the TMEA Region 18 bands, and John Mackey for making this piece possible.
Read more about the composer here: https://vietcuongmusic.com/about/
Grade 3
One Life Beautiful (2010) – 5’40” – Purchase at Musica Propria
Julie Giroux (USA, 1961)
Performance Considerations (Conductor notes provided by composer):
Instrumentation: With regard to Low woodwinds - If only 1 bass clarinet player is present, play the 1st part, all others should play the 2nd part. Two bassoonists must be used. Additional bassoonists are to play the bottom part. Either a contra bass clarinet in Bb OR Contra Alto Eb must be used, the part is not optional. Contra Bassoon is optional. Using both a contra bass clarinet or contra alto with contra bassoon is preferred. If only 1 String Contrabass is used, play the bottom line. If 2, play both parts. All others play bottom line. The vibraphone has Vibes ON/OFF marked in the part but feel free to use it how you feel best suits your tastes.
Dynamics: One Life Beautiful is scored with Mezzo-Piano (mp) as its dynamic center. This Mezzo-piano volume is an intimate, perfectly relaxed medium. (I think of this dynamics energy and air speed as identical to a relaxed hum, where you inhale relaxed and deeply then exhale normally while humming with only the force of your chests natural exhale pushing the air past your hum.)
Orchestration & Balance: The orchestration & balance most often used is by section then family. Example: The low woodwinds all together form a complete tonal/harmonic grouping and must be balanced amongst themselves. The same goes for the saxophone family and Bb clarinets. Balance these groups before adding them to the rest of the woodwind family. The entire woodwind section together is also its own balanced entity separate from the brass. I highly encourage you to rehearse the entire work beginning to end with woodwinds/ strings only and also brass/strings only so they can hear and understand their own individual lines/harmony and how they affect the whole. The French horns and Euphoniums at times cross over between the woodwind and brass family scoring.
One Life Beautiful is an impressionistic freestyle work. The opening is marked “Adagio with internal motion” (Phrase/Measure) which is a request to continually push phrases and chords delicately to their peaks and back down with great care not to over-exaggerate. As a small reference to divine creation, chords are purposely overlapped allowing them to rise and sink in and out of each other. Tempo and expressive choices throughout should reflect motion and flow with either ebb and flow of dynamics and/or very small increases and decreases in tempo.
There is an abundance of dynamic markings and several ritards and tempo changes throughout the piece but I would like to stress the fact that this work has a myriad of ways it could be performed and in the spirit of individuality and artistic freedom I encourage you to play this work with your own heart, mind and musicality at the helm.
Program Notes as provided by Publisher and Composer:
The title itself is a double-entendre which in one sense is referring to the person this work is dedicated to as in “one life” that was beautifully lived. The other sense is a direct observation concluding that having only one life is what makes life so sacred, tragic and so very precious. This is an impressionistic work musically describing that condition. Shakespeare’s “sweet sorrow,” the frailty and strength of life, the meaning of what it is to truly live One Life Beautiful.
- Program Note from publisherOne Life Beautiful was written in memory of Heather Cramer Reu for her “one life beautiful” that brought so much love and joy to our lives. The piece was commissioned by Ray and Molly Cramer, husband Phillip Reu and children, and brother Jeremy, his wife, Michelle, and children.
- Program Note by composer
Read more about the composer here: https://www.juliegiroux.org/bio-discs
Grade 4
On Parade (1914/2020) – 2’45” – Purchase at And We Were Heard
Amanda Aldridge (UK, 1866/1956) / ed. Kaitlin Bove
Performance Considerations:
Dr. Kaitlin Bove’s edition of On Parade is a wonderful example of a march that can be used to teach the context of strains, trios, and modulations. The piece is joyful and energetic, providing developing performers the opportunity to play lightly, emphasize appropriate articulations, and stylistic phrasing through each strain. This piece is thickly orchestrated, so dynamics should absolutely be performed with sensitivity to this fact.
Program Notes as provided by Publisher:On Parade is an English “quick step” march featuring a typical first and second strain, trio, and an unusual secondary trio area that modulates the piece to a third tonal area.
The original 1914 version of the march was published under the male-sounding pseudonym Montague Ring.
The 2020 edition resolves several practical and stylistic issues with the available 1914 Boosey & Hawkes score-less parts that can be found through the U.S. Library of Congress or IMSLP. Instrument parts have been struck or added to modernize the instrumentation. Stylistically, the dynamic range has been expanded and several courtesy slurs and articulation markings have been added to facilitate cleanliness of lines and phrases. Rehearsal letters, measure numbers, and a tempo marking have been added for convenience and errata has been fixed.- Program Note from publisher
Composer Biography:
Amanda Christina Elizabeth Aldridge, also called Amanda Ira Aldridge, was born in London in 1866. She was the daughter of African American Shakespearian actor, Ira Aldridge, and Swedish opera singer, Amanda Pauline von Brandt; and sister to Luranah Aldridge, also an opera singer. In her youth, Aldridge was an accomplished pianist and singer (a student of Jenny Lind) and studied composition at the Royal College. In later years, she taught private voice and elocution lessons to British and American singers and actors, including Black performers Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, and Marian Anderson.
Her compositional career spanned from approximately 1906 to 1934 and included instrumental music, seven piano suites, and at least twenty-six art and parlor songs. Embracing her African American heritage, several of Aldridge’s works incorporate African musical material or are settings of African American texts by poets such as Paul Laurence Dunbar. While much of her music was published under the male pseudonym, Montague Ring, her true identity was an open secret amongst her supporters, family, and music circles. Her most popular works include Three Arabian Dances (1919), Three African Dances (1913), and Carnival Suite of Five Dances (1924) with many works written or arranged for military and dance bands of the time.
Aldridge never married nor bore children but kept in close social contact with her students and cared for two birds, Mr. and Mrs. Browne, through her life. She died after a short illness in 1956.
- compiled from “Amanda Aldridge, Teacher and Composer: A Life in Music”
in Journal of Singing, Jan/Feb 2010 by Joyce Andrews
Grade 2
Chasing Sunlight (2016) – 2’40” – Purchase at Cait Nishimura
Cait Nishimura (1991, Japan/Canada)
Performance Considerations:
With simple rhythms that emphasize internal pulse, lyrical melodic lines, and a beautiful, cyclic harmonic accompaniment, Chasing Sunlight is a great addition to your repertoire list. For conductors, you may consider conducting this in two rather than four to account for the harmonic phrasing, allowing your developing performers to experience the feeling of cut-time. The consistent eighth note accompaniment allows for musicians to consistently engage with their sense of internal pulse.
Program Notes as provided by Publisher:
Chasing Sunlight was inspired by the experience of driving west into the setting sun, as if trying to keep up with the earth's rotation to catch the last few rays of light before dusk. The steady eighth note motif throughout the piece represents this sense of urgency, while the soaring, lyrical themes depict the warmth and radiance of the sun low in the sky.
Just as the sun will always set, humans must accept the impermanence of all things in life, and make the most of every opportunity before it has passed. Chasing Sunlight also represents the ongoing pursuit of these opportunities.
Composer Biography from Official Website: Cait Nishimura (she/her) is a Japanese Canadian composer based in Waterloo, Ontario. Known for writing nature-inspired, programmatic music, Cait has established herself as a prominent voice in the concert band community. Cait’s music has been presented at The Midwest Clinic, MusicFest Canada, and numerous other international conferences and festivals. Her work has become increasingly popular among educational music programs and within the professional new music scene, with new works being regularly commissioned and performed by ensembles and individuals around the world.
Cait is committed to creating contemporary music that is approachable, relevant, and enjoyable for all; before transitioning to a full-time career as a composer, she taught instrumental music and continues to prioritize and advocate for the value of music education. She actively seeks opportunities to connect personally with the communities for whom she writes, and she is passionate about empowering others through art. She strives to set a positive example for future generations of musicians– especially those from historically underrepresented groups– through her creative work and her dedication to mental health awareness. As a lifelong environmentalist, she not only draws inspiration from the natural world but also uses her platform to advocate for conservation awareness and action.
Cait was the winner of the Canadian Band Association’s composition prize in 2017 and is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. She holds degrees in music and education from the University of Toronto, but is an advocate of people pursuing their passions regardless of their field of study. All works are self-published under Cait Nishimura Music.