clarinet

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Celebration!

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Celebration! expands the 2024 ICA ClarinetFest theme “Every Clarinetist is Connected” to a global scale and across many instruments. The interactive audiovisual work asks the audience to submit questions regarding their birth countries, where they have lived, and where they have traveled. The music features musicians from around the world who share the musical traditions that have meaning to them. Clarinet lines explore and develop these melodies while the electronics accompany and bridge the melodies with subtle nods to both traditional musics and to EDM. The work was co-composed by Dylan Findley and Csaba Jevtic-Somlai and features melodic contributions by Shuang Zhu, Handel Gyuri, Regina Tanujaya, Eduardo Frigatti, La Guacamaya Collective, and Kwan Leung Ling (in order of appearance).

To be premiered at the ICA ClarinetFest, Ecocem Room, Dublin Convention Centre, Dublin Ireland by Dylan Findley and Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

Five Wooster Miniatures

In honor of the first Celebration for Creators and Scholars at The College of Wooster, Five Wooster Miniatures celebrates unique aspects of the campus culture. The piece was written for Clarinet in B-flat.

I. Black Squirrels

II. The Arch

III. Scottie Dog

IV. Senior I. S. (A Lesson in Procrastination)

V. Tartan Farewell

Premiered March 1, 2024 at the Celebration for Creators and Scholars by Dylan Findley at The College of Wooster.

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Figurings

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Figurings takes inspiration from character-based written languages. The individual characters have their own pronunciations and several meanings, yet they combine to form nuanced words within a grammatical structure. To write the piece, I designed a pictographic notation of various multi-faceted musical figures. The music “figures out” these sonic characters as one might learn a sentence in a foreign language. Each syllable is pronounced and then combines with another to form musical words. As the piece progresses, stretched and sustained words contrast metered iterations, all in counterpoint with inevitable silences.

A special thanks to clarinetist Calvin Falwell and the McCormick Percussion Group under the direction of Kevin Von Kampen for preparing and premiering this unconventional work.

Premiered October 25, 2023 at the University of South Florida.

Clarinet Pieces

Clarinet Pieces is a comedy piece for clarinet and piano, written for the College of Wooster Parody Recital. The performer performs with the mouthpiece attached to the lower joint, to the bell (loosely held), and with the upper and lower joint simultaneously (two mouthpieces). Other theatrics including interchange between the pianist and clarinetist are involved.

Premiered by Dylan Findley and Toni Shreve, Gault Recital Hall, April 15, 2023.

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Race in Space!

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Co-written and premiered with Csaba Jevtic-Somlai, Race in Space! contemplates the experience of private space travel. The music is both sprightly and explorative with clear melodies and tonal bouts blended with growling, multiphonics, bends, scoops, glissandi, and even reconstructions and additions to the clarinet. Electronic interludes based on NASA footage frame the launch and landing movements.

Movements

  1. Preparations

  2. Liftoff

  3. Leaving the Atmosphere

  4. In Outer Space

  5. Splash Landing!

Premiered by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai and Dylan Findley on June 29th, 2022 at the annual International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest, Reno, NV.

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The Story of Our Journey

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For information on future performances and the background of the work, visit this page dedicated to the project.

Interested in performing this work? The score is available for purchase below, and the electronic audio component (stereo fixed media with visual cues operated through Max/MSP) is available for those who plan to perform the piece live (I’ll be in touch about that!). Read about the video component below.

Score excerpt here.

Purchase the score ($60)

While this piece can be played without the video, the video component adds important context to the work, including the faces and translated words of those who tell their stories. However, the video of The Story of Our Journey is owned by non-profit advocacy organization Their Story is Our Story. Please contact them to make arrangements for the video to be projected during performance.

Performances/Showings to Date:

April 14, 2023- Live performance at the College of Wooster for the Their Story is Our Story residency Displacement Today in Wooster, OH. Performed by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

February 21, 2022- Live performance of movements 2 and 3 at the Worlds Within the One recital at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, WI. Performed by Dylan Findley.

November 19, 2021- Live performance at the Glendale Civic Center in Glendale, AZ. Sponsored by the City of Glendale Office of Arts and Culture through their Performing Arts Grant Program. Performed by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

November 5, 2021- Live performance at the Glendale Ampitheater in Glendale, AZ. Sponsored by the City of Glendale Office of Arts and Culture through their Performing Arts Grant Program. Performed by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

October 23, 2021- Live performance at the Millcreek Library in Salt Lake City. Performed by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

October 21, 2021- Live performance at Brigham Young University as part of Their Story is Our Story’s residency. Performed by Csaba Jevtic-Somlai.

June 20, 2021- Online showing through Washington D.C.-based organization Sunset Run for Refugees (World Refugee Day).

June 18, 2021- Live excerpts performed at World Refugee Day activities in Salt Lake City, UT.

March 19, 2021- Online showing #2 through City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

January 22, 2021- Online showing through the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

December 5, 2020- Online video “European premiere,” followed by panel discussion with TSOS Europe representative.

October 16, 2020- Online video premiere, followed by panel discussion with TSOS Phoenix area representative.

Pa-Hay-Okee

Clarinetist: Dylan Findley

Bassoonist: Martin Van Klompenberg (note: electronics are soft in video recording)

Pa-Hay-Okee, written for reeded instrument, refers to the site now known as the Florida Everglades. This word, from the Seminole language, translates to “grassy water,” describing the vast marshes filled with sawgrass and other plants. The sawgrass acts as a symbol for the entire natural region. Fields of sawgrass appear beautiful, but as implied in its name, each blade of grass can cut through flesh. In this complex habitat are both the breathtaking reeds, herons, turtles, and even manatees and flamingos as the glades approach the ocean. Yet, alligators and venomous snakes lurk within this formidable domain. My work captures this paradoxical beautiful danger through a mysterious, lyrical, and volatile interaction between the instrumentalist and the live processing of the instrument’s sound. All electronic sound in the piece derive from live input during the performance.

Performances:

February 21, 2022: Martin Van Klompenberg, Worlds Within the One, Annett Recital Hall, University of Wisconsin La-Crosse, La Crosse, WI.

Swallowed Up

 Swallowed Up is a commission from the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition, premiered by PULSE Trio. It develops the homonymic properties of the word “swallow.” The work’s overall three-movement form symbolizes: the digestive action, a series of living things, and the Passion story of Jesus Christ.

“Garden of the Innocent Bird” groups together the oral digestive phase, the bird swallow, and Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. The bird swallow is known as the bird of liberty because it dies when captured. Christ wilfully handed Himself over to be killed to liberate those captive in sin. The oral phase of swallowing food softens food and then bites and grinds it into a bolus. Likewise, in the Garden of Olives, Christ suffered to the point that He bled from every pore just as olives are crushed under extreme pressure for their oil.

“Sting” refers to the pharyngeal phase, the sea swallow, and the crucifixion of Christ. This digestive phase prepares for and then catapults the bolus to the stomach. The sea swallow’s sting is lethal. Christ died being nailed to the Cross He carried, after being falsely judged, beat, and betrayed.

“Vincetoxicum hirundae” relates the esophageal phase to the plant swallow-wort and to the Resurrection.  The Latin title comes from the swallow-wort’s scientific name, referring to its properties to cure snake poison. The swallow-wort, in Dacian culture, was known to open any locked door. The esophageal phase pushes the bolus into the stomach, where nutrients are absorbed and taken throughout the body. Christ’s Resurrection announces that “mortality might be swallowed up of life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). It allowed Christ power over sin, conquering the devil, the biblical serpent.

Interested in performing Swallowed Up?

Perusal Score

Swallowed Up- Score and Parts

Performances:

strengthen the body/enliven the soul

strengthen the body/enliven the soul

Commissioned by the Atlantic Music Festival, strengthen the body/enliven the soul refers to the scripture: 

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." -Doctrine and Covenants 59:18-19.

Interested in performing strengthen the body/enliven the soul?

Perusal Score

strengthen the body/enliven the soul-Score and Parts

Performances:

 

Stone in Hand

for oboe, clarinet, and chimes

This work was commissioned by clarinetist Julia Lougheed, who premiered the work. It addresses the process of overcoming anger and hate to find feelings of peace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Scenarios

 I.        Let him first cast a stone (John 8:2-11) 
II.       I, the Lord will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men (Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10)
 III.    And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind (Alma 7:11) 
IV.      Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all (Matthew 18:23-35)
 V.       But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2)
 VI.     Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow (Isaiah 1:18)
 VII.     Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him (Moroni 10:32)

Interested in Performing Stone in Hand?

Perusal Score

Stone in Hand- Score and Parts

Performances:

Terelj

Terelj is a work of three short pieces inspired by Mongolian culture.  Camel's Tear mimics the horsehead fiddle, which serves a central role in Mongolian culture.  Interestingly enough, it is said that camels shed tears in reaction to the instrument's beautiful sound.  Shagai!, meaning ankle bones, evokes the spirit of children playing a marbles-like game played, instead, with sheep ankle bones.  Ger, named for the portable Mongolian home, represents the calm and powerful energy of a united family.  And, central to their proud nomadic heritage, the piece cherishes the openness of their countryside.

Interested in performing Terelj?

Contact me for more information.

Performances:

Oh, That Light!

This piece explores density, both instrumentally and rhythmically. The piece was written for the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival and read by the Imani Winds.

Interested in performing Oh, That Light!?

Contact me for more information.

Performances:

Sleep Dances

Sleep Dances expresses the idea of brain waves during the sleeping process. The piece begins with Beta Waves, which are found during activity, then progresses to Alpha Waves, Theta Waves (and K-spindles), and finally into Delta Waves.

Interested in performing Sleep Dances?

Contact me for more information.

Performances:

  • April 18, 2014 [Premiere], BYU Composition Seminar Showcase, BYU Clarinet Choir.