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Reeding the Scales

for clarinet and concert band

Picc, 2 Fl, 2 Ob, 3 Cl in Bb, Alto Cl in Eb, Bass Clarinet in Bb, Contrabass Clarinet in Bb, 2 Bsn, 2 Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax, 3 Trp in Bb, 4 Hn, 3 Trb, Euphonium, 2 Tubas, Percussion (4 players): Triangle, 2 Cymbals, Timpani, Xylophone, Chimes, Glockenspiel

premiered November 15, 2019
Leslie Schroerlucke, clatinet;
Pomona College Band, Stephen Klein, conductor

 

Piccolo
Edward Jung.
Flute
Ihlara Gray, Alina Saratova, Anthony Shay.
Oboe/English Horn
Viki Bertram, Stephanie Lee, Alma Zook.
B-flat Clarinet
Natasha Crepeau, Josephine Gao. Rorye Jones,
David Kim, Hannah Lewis, Jonathan Miller.
Alto and ContraBass Clarinet
Jeff Lewis.
Bass Clarinet
Nanako Noda.
Bassoon
Sandra Fenton, Hollie Lohff.
Alto Saxophone
Clare Maartin, Jazmyn Juarez.
Tenor Saxophone
Jonathan Lopez.
Baritone Saxophone
John Seery.

Trumpet
Christine Moore, Chris Northrop, Angela Romero.
Horn
Adrian Dunker, Greg Stout, Jon Titmus, Annamarie Wire.
Trombone
Jarred Allen, Luciano Buck, Carlos Furukawa, Kerry Kline, Don Rea.
Euphonium
Andrew Acs, Becca Blyn, Erron Garrett.
Tuba
Oliver Dubon, Joseph Jackson.
String Bass
Jennifer Quan.
Timpani
Anika Arvanitis.
Percussion
Anika Arvanitis, Graydon Beeks, Catherine Donson,
Jordan Huard, Sophia Hunt, Kendal Kipper.


I was pleased when Stephen Klein asked me to contribute a piece to a Pomona College Band concert of mostly premieres, and doubly pleased with his request to feature clarinetist Leslie Schroerlucke. Leslie's beautiful sound in all ranges inspired the slow passages, and her deft technique prompted the racing scales.

"Reeding the Scales" plays with a wide assortment of scales, including traditional major and minor, church modes, symmetrical modes of Olivier Messiaen, and other invented scales. Each scale has its own character to explore. Although all the instruments participate, the single- and double-reed instruments have the lion's share of scales, hence the title and its spelling.

"Reeding the Scales" is gratefully dedicated to Stephen Klein, Leslie Schroerlucke, and the Pomona College Band.