Elastic Band (for octet)

Description

Elastic Band  is an edgy, playful work that fuses jazz, rock, funk, and classical idioms. It was conceived as a fun, divertimento-like work. The title refers to both the elastic nature of the work–which happily straddles the Classical, 21st Century, and Pop music worlds–and to a pun: the ensemble writing is often more reminiscent of a jazz “little big band” than a traditional chamber ensemble. The original sextet scoring (clarinet and string quartet) has classical resonances. But, add percussion to the mix, and a decidedly jazzy-rock tinge emerges: the Mozart Clarinet Quintet… with a twist, if you will. When Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez (New Orchestra of Washington) and I discussed working together I told him that I always thought Elastic Band would make a great chamber orchestra piece. That led to the commission, which led to a series of performances with NoW, and then their recording on Geoffrey Silver’s superlative Acis label. In 2018 Jonathan Newman and Timothy J. Robblee at Shenandoah Conservatory asked for an Octet edition (clarinet, string quintet, and 2 percussion, a more exacting reduction of the chamber orchestra version) for the Edge Ensemble. For more info about this work click here.

Materials (score & parts) are available as downloadable PDF files.

Note bene: Elastic Band is available in the following “flavors” – chamber orchestra, octet, septet, and as a single movement (II. “Pure Happenchance”) for trio (clarinet, piano, percussion/drum set).