What a couple of weeks!!! It has been absolutely humbling to have so many performances of “American Visions” over the past few weeks – my sincere thanks to many friends and colleagues who made the piece a part of their spring concert. My thanks to Drew Fennell and the River City Youth Brass Band for their world debut performance of “A Frontier Fought and A City Found” at the Spring Concert “A Pittsburgh Celebration” last Sunday evening. It was an honor to write for such a great musician and conductor like Drew, and a group of outstanding musicians in the ensemble.
I am pleased to report that Pirates! is posted in its entirety, so please give a listen over at myspace.com/travisjweller when you get a chance! My thanks and appreciation are extended to Dr. R. Tad Greig and the Westminster College Wind Ensemble for inviting me over to conduct them on October 26, 2007. It was a great experience, and they really delivered what I hoped the music could be.
In December of 2003 I sat listening to the PMEA District 5 Honors Band. Esteemed composer Mark Camphouse was the guest conductor. As I sat and listened to “Toccata” by Frescobaldi I was completely entranced. I asked other directors about the piece – and I was dumb-founded by the fact it was such an old piece. I didn’t know it, and I felt very stupid. After having lunch with Dr. Camphouse and talking about the piece I came to big conclusion: I need to learn a “new” “old” piece every year. Four years later, this is a treat for my ears and mind. I find scores that are exciting and powerful (Festivo by Nelhybel, Chorale and Alleluia by Hanson), but I also try and find music recordings that are new to me as well.
My latest new find has been Bela Bartok and Stravinsky (My sincere apologies to Dr. Carter for not applying myself in music history during undergrad at GCC). I have found a number of Bartok’s piano pieces to be really interesting, and I am enjoying his percussive use of the instrument. I am new to his Concerto for Orchestra, but my first hearings reveal to me a great deal of color. Stravinsky’s Pertruska, Tango (for Piano) and Symphony of Psalms have my ear right now as well. Everyone knows Firebird and Rite of Spring, but he is definitely so much more!
I email Dr. Camphouse once a year to talk about new old pieces. I also check pieces out with Dr. Arnold, Dr. Greig, Gary Taylor, and Uncle Lou Collela. It is worth your time to talk with a colleague about the hidden gems that unfortunately collect too much dust and not enough audience applause and student appreciation.
If you get a chance, please bump over to myspace.com/travisjweller and check out several new recordings that I have posted. I am interested in gaining some feedback on the pieces.
“Journey to the Prairie” was recorded by Dr. Edwin P. Arnold and the Grove City College Wind Ensemble. The programmatic piece depicts the Westward Expansion in our country. It is written with an advanced elementary band or middle school band in mind. It offers a number of opportunities for soloists or small chamber-like groups. They also performed “Fanfare on Themes of Davenport”. The recording is from their performance at the PMEA State Conference last year.
“Beginnings of Flight” has recently been entered in a composition contest. It is dedicated to the men and women of our armed services that protect our skies, and seeks to convey the excitement a young pilot feels on the first flight. It is written with a high school band in mind. A number of pecussion parts are written, and there are a number of very exciting and dramatic parts for the entire ensemble. I am very grateful to Dr. Willis Rapp and the Kutztown University Wind Ensemble for providing this recording.
I hope to make a full version of “Pirates!” available soon. The performance is by Dr. R. Tad Greig and the Westminster College Wind Ensemble.
Thanks for your support and feedback!
Recent Comments