How does one at the time of his life with a mortgage, 2 kids, a full-time teaching gig, and not finished with a master’s degree feed and nourish the musician inside? Easy – just deprive yourself of sleep and lunch breaks and get serious about writing some music. Throughout the last nine years, I have invested a significant amount of time experimenting, listening, sketching, and composing which has produced some pretty good results. Reflecting back upon this personal musical commitment, I strongly believe that the works I have produced represent an area of tremendous growth as a musician, educator, conductor, and composer.

The one thing I am more aware of now in the creative process is the exchange of information between the unconscious dimension and conscious dimension. In interviews with eight composers who have demonstrated an interest in understanding the subtleties of the creative process, Lapidaki (2007) indicates that the role of the unconscious is vital to composers as they seek to begin or complete a musical composition.  Rollo May suggests that there is an unconscious dimension of experience, and that “there is a kind of battle between what consciously the composer thinks and some perspective that is struggling to be born” (May, 1975, 59).  Although it is an important part of the initial creative process, the exchange between the subconscious and conscious dimensions allows the composer to create a well-crafted musical product in a number of different ways.

Despite differences in the sequence of events in the process, I have discovered there are some commonalities that have revealed themselves within the act of composing music.  A period of evaluation and exploration of the musical material, improvisational sessions utilizing different instruments and the human voice, and consideration and research of programmatic elements all consistently have become part of the creative process as I begin writing a piece of music.  I do keep a series of sketchbooks facilitate to assist in evaluation and exploration of material, and some highly private improvisational sessions are not far behind. I will sit down and actively engage with the material, but there are some ideas that are expanded, as Quincy Hilliard shared with me, “during periods of transition”. I do some of my best work weeding, mulching, shoveling snow, and mowing the grass. A former student joked with me a future piece may include seven percussion parts including a running lawn mower to be started at the beginning of the work like the gong in the Pines of Rome!

Those activities may persist through each foray of writing a new piece of music, but, as W. Francis McBeth shared with me many years ago, the time I spent within the music, the sounds I have selected, and the form that I wish to utilize will be an important part of the entire process. There is a reason why Jack Nicklaus was great – he worked at it consistently with high expectations. The writings of Bennett Reimer have assisted in focusing this goal, and the criteria of sensitivity, imagination, and authenticity he sets forth for judging quality in music I believe to be important additional aspirations besides craftsmanship to convey in the finished musical product (Reimer, 1991).  The entire creative process is full of intimidating questions that can only be answered over a period of time in which I am able to allow my aural imagination to envision a new work that will have unity, identify in some way with the music that has come before it, and refine the expressive power found within the sounds I have chosen so that the end result is an authentic musical experience for all who choose to engage with that music.

There is a multi-level relationship I must acknowledge that has developed between my roles as an educator, conductor, and composer. The benefits and rewards of being able to teach music from the perspective of an educator and conductor are deeply enhanced by drawing upon my experiences as a composer.  As analysis and preparation of a score of music begins, I am now able to take into account the composer’s intent in development of a musical phrase or his choice of orchestration. There are obvious technical limitations with each grade level of music that dictate melodic, rhythmic, and expressive choices to a composer as they score music for an ensemble.  My engagement in composition has allowed me to more easily recognize how those technical limitations have been distributed to the ensemble and their importance within the piece’s melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, and expressive hierarchy.

By having a better concept of these elements, I am able to plan and pace instruction with the ensembles more efficiently, and can also share this insight with the students so they are able to place their individual part into a greater context and begin making an authentic connection with the music. I have discovered that my engagement in composition has made me more confident and selective in seeking, researching, internalizing, and teaching unfamiliar music.  It has further opened my aural music senses to recognizing connections and relationships among the different elements of familiar pieces that were previously not identifiable.

In a similar way, I have experienced growth in my skills as a conductor because of new connections realized between the writing and teaching of music.  The role of the conductor is a critical one for any ensemble, as that role is generally entrusted with the responsibility of communicating the intent of the composer.  Hilliard (Camphouse, 2007, 100) shares this view that was first brought to light by one his teachers:

One of my teachers, Richard Bowles, stated that to become a good conductor on should study composition and to become a good composer, one should study conducting.  Once the conductor understands how the piece is constructed, he or she becomes a quasi-sound engineer, responsible for adjusting balance, intonation, and blend to produce the correct colors.  The conductor becomes the interpreter, recreating the composer’s feelings.  The passion of music comes from understanding the composition, enjoying it, and getting the players to reproduce those feelings so that the audience has an emotional, aesthetic experience.

My role as a conductor has been expanded as I consider how to communicate the intent of the composer to students within the ensemble.  The technical demands that are found within the structure of any piece do affect the manner in which the piece will be explored, and it will also affect the physical craft of conducting utilized to lead the ensemble in its recreation.  Reflecting upon the demands of this musical role, I feel it would be appropriate for any conductor to consider the criteria Reimer (Reimer, 1991) uses for judging quality in music, and apply those same criteria to the interpretation and communication of music.  I pose the following four questions as it relates to the interpretation of music by conductors:

1. Are we seeking a creative bond that shows our respect for the materials used to fashion the music we seek to recreate? (Craftsmanship)

2. Have we considered the full expressive potential of all materials present in the music and the expressive potential of the students? (Sensitivity)

3. Can we envision the best possible solution to allow the music to profoundly awaken our emotions and those who would perceive it? (Imagination)

4. Will we devote ourselves to engaging with the finest, representative music so that the    intent of the composer is accurately and fluidly merged with our interpretation? (Authenticity)

These questions are not meant to limit a director’s choices in terms of culture, style, or time period, but provide some guide points in the act of considering literature from diverse sources. It also affords me some guiding thoughts in the compositional process how I might write music that will speak more readily to performer and conductor, and hopefully translate to the audience as well. This interchange of ideas and perspectives between the roles as educator, conductor, and composer continues to evolve and expand as there are considerations and contributions from new personal experiences. I haven’t conducted my best concert yet, taught my best day, or even written my best piece yet. But I always feel like I am getting closer and the act of composing helps me fill my role as a music educator.

References

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2007). Composers on composing for band.  Chicago: GIA Publications.

Lapidaki, E. (2007). Learning from masters of music creativity.  Philosophy of Music Education Review, 15(2), 93-117.

May, R. (1975). The courage to create. New York: W.W. Norton.

Reimer, B. (1991) Criteria for quality in music.  In R.A. Smith & A. Simpson (Eds.), Aesthetics and arts education (pp. 330-338). Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

Journey to the Prairie was written in one night – I couldn’t turn off the sounds. As Quincy says transitional tasks can be very helpful to develop material, and my wife couldn’t be happier that evening as I continued mopping, sweeping, and cleaning the house. I finished the piece at 3 a.m. that December morning, printed parts and had the wind ensemble at my school perform the first and only draft. I was excited to see this piece come to life, but discouraged as it was passed over by 3 other publishers. With nothing to lose, I entered it in the 2nd Annual Ticheli Competition.

Now some 5 years later the piece is available. My thanks to Dr. Arnold at Grove City College who provided the recording for the contest (it is also posted on my compositions page). I hope this piece might be useful to your ensemble in the coming months.

That should be a fairly easy question for any conductor who has studied scores and understands the pieces that have been at the foundation of the American Wind Ensemble and Concert Band.

Name three composers who wrote music for wind ensembles or concert bands between the years of 1950 and 1980 and will still be played in the year 2020.

Hmm….

I will go with J. Clifton Williams – Dedicatory Overture (1964), Alfred Reed – A Festival Prelude (1962), and W. Francis McBeth (1961) – Chant and Jubilo. Arguably these may not represent their “best” work, but they are ones which 1) I believe are engaging to students, 2) representative of the composer’s stylistic practice, and 3) provided appropriate challenge at the difficulty level for which they are designated. The debate may go on below and it should – so if you have different answers, please include them below.

Moving on, now name three composers who are writing music for wind ensembles or concert bands between 1980 and 2010 who might be enjoying rehearsal and programming time in 2020.

Hmm…getting tougher…

My choices go like this: James Barnes – The Trail of Tears, Mark Camphouse – Movement for Rosa, and Frank Ticheli – Symphony No. 2. Here again – the pieces above may not represent their best or most challenging work. The choices get tougher – there are more of them, they become more diverse in their style and sonic landscape, and these pieces have enjoyed more exposure and attention as technology has improved our ability to connect with the media.

All of that being said, it can be difficult to think in those terms due to the sheer numbers of new pieces for concert band and wind ensemble that are being published today. Critics both inside and outside the profession of music education challenge the sounds that are created, programmatic elements, and point towards the general detachedness of the pieces from anything musical. Some would argue that school music ensembles have become a culture of their own that is unresponsive to students or that the ensembles can be disconnected and insensitive to cultures outside this country. Some choices are made for ensembles on the basis of whether or not the band can perform a piece well enough to get a superior at the next contest, and little thought given to how that literature could be utilized to extend learning beyond the 44 minutes of the rehearsal period.

Though I do not completely disagree with these arguments, I do not believe that the apparent disconnect is at a critical mass. As I consider the communities in which these groups are situated and what they contribute to their local culture I ask this question: Has the traditional school wind ensemble and concert band become something unique and vibrant – a quality of the arts that some scholars have suggested to be celebrated and offered for study? While they embrace, continue, and revere classical traditions and forms, these traditional ensembles continually seek ways to expand existing models and ideas which continually deepen the aesthetic and paraxial experience of the students who engage with it. While I acknowledge that not every piece of music falls into this appraisal, there have been significant, engaging works created for traditional ensembles not only so the artist might say something that has not been said before, but so the performer may be transformed during their interaction.

At some point though, there will be “new classics” to emerge that mean no disrespect to those pieces that are the foundation of American Wind Band and Concert Band literature (see the Teaching Music Series, Composers on Composing for Band, or Rehearsing the Band for some concise lists). As we move past the date of their origins and the times in which they were created, it becomes much easier to identify how significant a piece they might be. It really is no different than those of us who teach a history course on American Popular Music – it’s easy to understand why Elvis, the Beatles, and Little Richard were important to rock and roll, and why we can’t tell yet if U2, Greenday, and Dave Grohl will ever be in that same class. Any director must maintain careful balance of the needs of the students (educational & enjoyment), their communities and schools, and the fact they are heritage bearers of the American Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. These ensembles have been at profession’s core for years, and that was no accident. On one hand the music teaches something, on another it preserves part of our heritage or extends someone else’s culture. On one hand it excites and transforms the mind of the performers, on the other it motivates them to perform at levels not thought possible. We are the educators – educators that must define our own vision of a quality work, research possible pieces that fit that vision, examine how the piece lines up with our goals and objectives for the students, consider how the audience might be engaged by the piece, consider how you can extend learning through the piece beyond the rehearsal hall walls, and make a decision. Picking music for our ensembles is a lot like something I tell my band students about learning music – I didn’t say it would be easy, I said it would be worthwhile.

New classics will emerge – but not without heavy sustained discussion from those in the profession who earnestly care about the future of wind ensembles and concert bands. We cannot rest solely on reviews from magazine’s or websites to provide the final verdict, though to their credit they do invest considerable time to make their best recommendations to directors.  We must further add to this process a comparison against proven, time-tested pieces of similar length, style, or tonality to gauge the overall quality in terms of its craftsmanship, imagination, sensitivity and authenticity (a line of thinking first proposed by Bennett Reimer in 1991 – a guy who I am guessing will still be discussed in 2020). The debate will continue and could prove to be divisive, but I urge all parties involved to make their decisions based upon a clear personal definition of quality that ultimately is in the best interest of the students who they profess to “share the love of music”.

I conclude by sharing my list of “new classics” for band, and urge you to add yours.

James Barnes – The Trail of Tears
Mark Camphouse – Movement for Rosa
Frank Ticheli – Symphony No. 2
Julie Giroux – No Finer Calling
Andrew Boysen Jr. – I Am
Patrick J. Burns – Toccata
Jack Stamp – Ricercare
Samuel Hazo – Ride
Robert Jager – Esprit de Corps
Jan Van Der Roost – Puszta

I am very pleased to have received an Editor’s Choice for “Festival and Ballade for Winds”, a piece I wrote for the 2009 Pittsburgh Diocesan Honor Band.  A recording should be up in the coming weeks at Wingert-Jones. Other new works coming this summer include “Moravian Dance” and “A West Highland Fanfare” from FJH, and “Siege of the Dark Castle” from Barnhouse.

Be sure to bump on over to Travis J. Weller on myspace to hear the PMEA District 5 Band recording of “Moravian Dance”.  Jack Anderson did a great job with the band, and I am so proud of the students for what they did with the music.  The piece will be available from FJH this summer.

I was delighted to find another performance on Youtube given by the Hopkins West Junior High Band under the direction of Mrs. Kay Hawley. Bravo students and thank you Kay!

When I write, I have something to say – I just choose sounds to say it.  I write music that (I hope) the students would enjoy playing, the audience will enjoy hearing, and that conductors will enjoy teaching. Sometimes I get inspired by words spoken or written, an image, or people.  In the case of American Visions it was all three.  Read the fourth verse to the Star-Spangled Banner – I read it in the spring of 2007 and finally understood what my grandmother went through when her only son (my father David J. Weller) went through when he left for Vietnam.  “Oh thus be it still when free men shall stand, between their loved homes and the wars desolation!”.

I remember having one real in-depth conversation with my father about his time in the military – I asked him what it was like.  He replied “Guy, I hope you never have to find out.”  War is an atrocious event, and freedom, our freedom, has been paid with the lives of many young patriots.  My dad served in 1967 for people he never met or knew, and some – like his two sons – were not even born yet.  I went to parades on Memorial Day and Veterans Day growing up – I said the pledge, I sang The Banner – but I didn’t understand until age 34 what had been done for me by my father and countless others I never knew and will never know.  We are a blessed nation, indebted to our men and women who serve and protect.  American Visions became an outpouring of thanks and love from a grateful and fortunate son.  How could I not write this piece for my dad? I knew purpose when each of my four children had been born, but I knew musical purpose in 2007.  In a span of four weeks beginning in February, American Visions was born.

My vision of America I owe to my parents – work hard, do something you love, love family, love friends, have faith in God at all times, honor your country, respect the men and women who serve – they have always shown me those qualities.  My dad is my first musical role model; he is my friend, and a patriot.  I wanted to write a piece that celebrated those things.  American Visions is what I hope our country will be – a vision for which David J. Weller would be proud.

The opening fanfares came first – mixing and shifting meter came very naturally.  The trumpet trio in the middle – the only clear My Country Tis of Thee statement – was easy to write, the counter in the alto saxophone and flute took a bit longer.  After much laboring over the ending of the song, I finally went to bed one morning at 1:30 a.m.  After falling asleep (as the start of my day was only about 4 and a half hours away), I was dreaming about the piece being played by an ensemble to be annoyed by a metronome beating in the group.  I woke to realize it was my alarm clock beating in time – and it prompted the shift from 3/4 to 6/8 towards the end and allowed me to conceive the French Horn counter-melody (which I adore).  I sang repeatedly in the shower that morning, and frantically wrote everything down on paper before leaving for school – ended up almost arriving late that day – but I had it!

This spring as I marched down Constitution Avenue with the marching band at Mercer for the National Memorial Day Parade, tears filled my eyes for a good two blocks.  I was reminded what a fortunate son I am thanks to my father, David J. Weller and countless other men and women in the armed services.  I am humbled by the success the piece has enjoyed, and thankful that I could share this story with many others in music education.