messy/neat

for elementary school band.

ca. 4'

1998.

Scored for flutes, clarinets, alto saxes, trumpets, trombones, and percussion. Can be arranged for additional instruments at request. equires trills, playing on mouthpieces/headjoints, key clicks. Contains an unmetered passage.

I wrote this to use with my students in Nashua, NH. Everything else they were playing was based on folk tunes or they were attempts at pop/rock tunes; meanwhile I had finished my very dissonant sax quartet and was working on my percussion ensemble piece. I thought it would be nice to connect the two worlds of elementary band and new concert music (crazy, I know...). Many students did find it difficult (I mean, we can't trill and count at the same time, Ms. La Rose! Actually, I had difficulty with that when I was learning to trill, too...) and weren't quite sure what to make of it, but it was definitely a new and worthy experience for everybody, including me.

Contact me for the score.