John: My only suggestions are these:
Write a piece that suits the horn, not a guitar, not a saxophone, not a trumpet. Write something you would want to hear yourself. Vary the mood. For example, write a slow, lyrical song-like section and then contrast it with a jazzy section that closes the piece. Since you want to compose the piece yourself, write to your strengths. If you have a great high register or a super low register, show it off. If not, concentrate on the middle register. Can you double tongue or have a great legato style? If so, include some passages for that. Above all, listen to as much music for horn and piano as possible, not to copy, but to learn what works and figure out why it does. Good luck, Richard in Seattle On 1/11/2011 8:34 PM, John Stacy wrote: > In just over 4 months, I'm going to be graduating high school. > At the school I go to, it is a custom for some people(usually no more than 5) > to perform at the graduation ceremony, at their own desire and request. The > last person to play on a wind instrument graduated 2 years ago, a horn > player(who is now a sophomore in a horn performance degree). Two years > before that there was a saxophone(who is now a very famous fiddle and sax > player in a nationally touring band). So the level of skill of them is quite > high. However, the number is low. Of the five, or six two years ago, all > but the ones I mentioned just now have been a guitar/singer combination, or > something similar. It's also always a country song of sorts, but that's > because of our geographic location being in the middle of West Texas. > Some of the songs chosen have nothing to do with graduating, the future, > memories or anything. It is verified that they chose it because "it's a cool > song and I can actually play it on my gee-tar." While there is nothing > wrong with that, I just think it defeats the purpose. > The others give me a strong sense of fear, nostalgia, and other feelings I > can't describe. Fear for a future that I'm ultimately unsure about, > nostalgia remembering events that the songs bring to mind, and other feelings > when I can grasp the same feelings the performers are having. > I connect most with the two instrumentalists that I mentioned earlier. The > horn player because she was my mentor, and the piece she played(I can't > remember the name of it) just sat well with me. She left the stage in tears. > I could feel what she did. The other one, although he graduated the year > before I was in high school, I could still connect with. He played a jazzy > piece on soprano sax called Joy of Life by Kenny G. I remember his > performance to this day, almost like video in my mind. They both inspired me > to keep going with music, in the hopes that I could one day inspire someone > else in the same way. > I connect more with these two more than the rest combined, probably because > we're all part of a family of musicians, but also because we're > instrumentalists. I'm not going to go into the implications of that because > the subject is HEAVILY biased personally, so I will spare you all. > > Anyways, the point of me telling all of this is because I am going to be up > on the same stage they were in a few months, performing just like they did. > Just the thought of it gives me strong feelings-feelings of hope, > inspiration, and of other great things. At this point, most people would be > asking for recommendations for something to play. I am not. > I am instead asking for thoughts and assistance. > You see, I love playing the horn. But I also love composing, almost more > than actually. So I'm going to write the piece I will play. > So, I'm asking, is there a style that best suits the situation? Something so > I have a basis to work from? I was thinking something latin, like a bossa > nova, or similar. Something slow and soulful. Or maybe something like a > choro, or just a faster paced thing. Or maybe do something like Kenny G and > do something smooth jazz. Since there's many years of experience on this > board, I figure some of you would be able to help me out. Plus the fact that > we all play the same instrument is a definite plus. > Thoughts, ideas, comments? Anything will be accepted. > > The instrumentation is just horn and Piano. > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/hornfella%40comcast.net > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1191 / Virus Database: 1435/3374 - Release Date: 01/11/11 > > _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
