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Ethos of Saxes Spencer Arias

16 Miniatures for Solo Saxophone

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Ethos of Saxes Spencer Arias

16 Miniatures for Solo Saxophone

PERUSALSCORE

Published by Just a eory Press, L.L.C. www.justatheorypress.com

“December Dirge” by Joan Levine

First printing: September 2021

Spencer Arias Ethos of Saxes

Miniatures for Solo Saxophone (2021)

Broken Wings for soprano saxophone

Commissioned by Zach Arthur

Program Note

Broken Wings was commissioned by Zach Arthur. As I was getting to know more about Zach, I was struck by learning how easily we musicians can feel like we have failed or done something wrong when something outside of our control gets in our way. As an undergraduate, I had this immense need to prove myself, because I had been knocked down by an academic system that is not always kind to students who have not had the quote-on-quote right kind of instruction. We start these programs, and we have all these lofty goals and ambitions, and they immediately throw us in the deep end, and we either have it or we don’t. Our wings are clipped and there is the potential to lose much of the spirit that makes us feel special, but regardless we still try to �y. rough a mixture of arpeggiation and song like melodies, Zach’s goal of presenting himself as non-academic, somewhat sad, winged joy of a person, who is very special, and has been set free to �y of his own accord.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

ri ting is meant to give the performer a large amount of agency for shape, meaning, and overall presentation. While it is in�uenced by the the indie music scene, it should re�ect the performer s personal tastes and aesthetic.

e piece should maintain a steady pulse throughout. Any speed changes should be relegated to pitch duration, not tempo.

Pitches can be played in any register, for any duration, and can be repeated any number of times.

epeats can happen as many times as the performer likes, but each repeat should have at least one element of change. is element of change can be anything dynamics, articulation, rhythm, additional pitch material, register, key, texture, timbre, etc. Slow change is preferred to immediate change immediate change should be relegated to shifts in bars.

e suggested changes are mere suggestions ri ting is �exible within the framework provided.

e whole measures can be repeated any number of times and can happen in any order. A performance of the piece can last as short as a minute and a half or longer, but I imagine not longer than or minutes in most instances.

Optional Add other instruments such as percussion or strings to act as a backing group, working within the harmonic framework laid out as a starting point. is framework can being expanded throughout its evolution.

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rifting for soprano saxophone

Commissioned by ate on Berntha

Program Note

ri ting was commissioned by ate von Bernthal. I met ate at the last bar I went to before the O I -1 pandemic began, at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial conference in my hometown in Ari ona. I remember hitting it o with her, but I didn’t get to know her outisde of a loud social situation until we met to discuss this piece. As the only person on the project, I was able to see her in person while discussing her music it was a joyous occasion to share a beer at a brewery in etroit, I. ri ting gives the performer a large amount of agency for shape, meaning, and overall presentation. While the indie music scene in�uenced it with artists such as Bon Iver and S. arey, it should re�ect the aesthetic taste of the performer. It is tough to play this piece wrong. People who don’t seem to be taking the path that everyone else takes are called drifters, but in this case, nding yourself and doing what you want to nd happiness is a joyous thing and should be celebrated. - Spencer Arias 2021

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as we slip away for soprano axophone Commissioned by ick ay Program Note as e s i a ay was commissioned by Nick ay. Nick was the catalyst that drove this project due to a acebook post he made in April of 2021. e had some big campy vibes and wanted a composer to write a piece called Pork hop. I was laughing pretty hard, and we nally had a legit conversation about gays and saxophones and all the fun glittery joys of navigating heteronormative sax land. at eventually led me to write 12 new pieces for SA saxophone on top of the Bari sax pieces I had written - months prior. While I didn t write Pork hop for this piece it s probably coming eventually , I did get to know Nick and what joy that was. A musician who I don t feel any need to hide any part of myself because of fear of judgment. What oes that exist But, none of this has anything to do with as we slip away. When Nick described himself as a Pop ulture ween, 0 s ween, Nerd ulture, aymer, and the music he wanted to play was I Want to Be the ery Best in a minor key, that is depressing and emotional, that hits hard I knew exactly how that sounded. e essentially described the aspirational Spencer that if I cared less about heteronormative standards would be me. It makes me think of some of my favorite lm music from the Studio hibli series. We do not give enough credit to the in�uence that apanese composers have had on music. veryone knows the Super ario theme, and it is so relevant to the development of modern video game music. e 0s and early 00s were nostalgic for most of us who grew up then because we got to oversee this massive technology and cultural boom. apanese creators created Pok mon, Studio hibli, and other iconic stories. As our youth slips away, our fondness for the memories of this time, particularly a time before I was too self-conscious to admit my admiration for nerd culture, becomes a distant memory. Instead, I think about how some of my favorite gays encourage me to live a loud and happy life.

- Spencer Arias 2021

What does a community. for soprano saxophone

Commissioned by Wi son o enberger

Program Note

What does a community was commissioned by Wilson Po enberger. I met Wilson at the Splice Institute in alama oo, I, in the summer of 201 . e would eventually play my electronics score ight eartache at the International Saxophone Symposium, hosted by the S Navy Band, being the only commissioner on this project to have performed my work before this project. ost of Wilson’s work is as an improviser with or without electronics, so when he told me I could write something in that realm, I jumped at the chance. e also speci cally pointed out that he wanted a resource on saxophone and classical improvisation that connected to di erent audiences and communities. is concept of community struck me as signi cant. I had written audience participation pieces in the past, including an orchestra piece called Concerto or Audience. Still, one that asked the audience to respond to questions and put themselves in a vulnerable place was certainly something I had to think long and hard about. Where I landed was with this concept from the score A community is often led by a few leaders who take the time to stand up for their neighbors. It does not always happen one by one sometimes, it will take one person for to follow other times, everyone gets up. is piece explores that idea. When community feels so far away, what I was searching for was a way to bring people together.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

Ask the following questions in parentheses. Invite any audience member who wants to stand up and tell them they are our community. Do not announce to the audience that they should answer your questions, but do tell them that participation is voluntary. A community is often led by a few leaders who take the time to stand up for their neighbors. It does not always happen one by one; sometimes, it will take one person for 5 to follow; other times, everyone gets up. This piece explores that idea. The length of the piece is ﬂexible but should last for at least a minute and a half with no maximum.

1. (What does our community need more of?)

If no one responds, say it again. Continue saying it until at least one person responds. As soon as that ﬁrst person responds, with your instrument, respond musically to that response.

2. (What does our community need less of?)

If no one responds, say it again. Continue saying it until at least one person responds. With your instrument, respond musically to that response.

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The length of your improvisation should be longer the more individuals respond. That improvisation should match your interpretation of their response.

The length of your improvisation should be longer the more individuals respond. That improvisation should match your interpretation of those responses. This time if the leader who speaks up ﬁrst is the same as question 1, repeat their answer as best you can. Find the rhythm of their words, and incorporate it into your improvisation. Try to ﬁnd the melodic features of their speech; try to incorporate this into your improvisation as best you can.

3. (Who is our community?)

If no one responds, say it again. Continue saying it until at least one person responds. With your instrument, respond musically to that response.

The length of your improvisation should be longer the more individuals respond. That improvisation should match your interpretation of their response. This time ﬁnd a follower: someone who has actively participated but is not taking a leadership role. This person can be near the leader or far away. They matter. Look them directly in the eye. Point to them. Get their attention. Say, “You are our community” With your instrument, play a short ostinato that matches the rhythmic and melodic features of that statement. Then slowly repeat this ostinato, moving your focus to other members of the community, and gradually adapt it, adding in one new piece of noise per note per 3-5 repetitions until the whole statement is just noise. Morph that statement into noise—the noise of those that bring our community down, such as multi-national corporations and special interest groups. Commissioned by Wi

(I am our community?)

epeat this phrase until the community asks the same questions. Say the word yes after the ﬁrst audience member, and say it a few times if you need to.

Gesture to them to keep continuing these statements and play long subtones. very time an audience member say yes, include a quick swell.

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5. (We are the community)

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the mask i wear for alto saxophone

Commissioned by on au ah

Program Note the mask ear was commissioned by on-Paul ahl. Prior to this project, on-Paul, was probably the person I knew the least, probably because he lives at the time of composition in hent, Belgium. e had recently commissioned my mentor, avid Biedenbender, for a piece for his duo, so it was really great that he wanted to be involved with this project. What I learned was that so many of the anxieties that I experience about heteronormative life were also experienced by on-Paul and made me feel like we were kindred spirits. In our meeting he used the word mask, and that mask is how I feel all the time. Beyond queerness this includes my latinx background, that I often hide behind my whiteness. As queer people it’s so easy to just live behind a mask. As someone who feels disconnected from this latinx background, due to the cultural of assimilationism of the 1 0s, my dad doesn’t speak any Spanish, and neither do I. e mask I ask you to take o , includes hidden campy quotes can you nd them , some groove, but hides behind ouder, aster, arder, Stronger, which I feel can come across as toxic masculinity.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

athering Storm for alto saxophone

Commissioned by ean arde

Program Note athering torm was commissioned by Sean . arde. While speaking with Sean I learned more about his background as a performer and his spirituality. e was born during a hurricane in Portland, aine, and it made me think of di erences between calm and stormy weather. is piece explores the contrast in a hurricane between the storm and the eye. e storm sits low to the ground low register , a ecting all who get in its path, while the calm sits high altissimo , and peaceful in an almost meditative state.

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for alto saxophone

Commissioned by Connor ames iku a

Program Note

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Catharsis was commissioned by onnor ames ikula. onnor has been a presence in my life since 201 when I met him in Ann Arbor. I m going to be real here. I grew up not thinking very highly of myself because other kids are plain mean. When I see people with a presence like onnor, my immediate impression is to either 1 want to impress them or 2 think that I am not good enough. onnor had the best hair, style, personality, and everyone seemed to like him. e is also incredibly kind. We had spoken multiple times once I moved to ast ansing in 201 , mainly in the hallways. e was always so friendly. e recommended his local hairstylist, who I have seen ever since, but beyond that, our interactions were primarily surface-level. When I saw onnor was on this project, I immediately got excited because here was my chance. N I reali ed that onnor is a nerd. I mean, like . e embraces this nerdom, and when you talk to him about it, you start to think, wow, this nerdy thing is super cool at way of living life is what makes him so cool. e lives his life by taking something that might not seem cool and makes it cool as hell. In this piece, I oom in towards a part of the instrument that I think is missing from the repertoire, probably because it isn t the coolest part, probably because of how challenging it can be to execute �awlessly every time. is lowest register at subtone can be cool and beautiful, and I think it represents onnor. e amount of catharsis that I experienced by getting to know onnor is what this piece is. - Spencer Arias

I m Still ere for alto saxophone

Commissioned by ois icks Wo niack

Program Note m ti ere was commissioned by ois icks-Wo niak. ois is a spectacular person who I m so thrilled to know. With the culture of saxophone sometimes feeling louder-faster-stronger-harder, and the youngest kids playing rep earlier and earlier, it s easy to forget those that have been doing the work. Between being a mom of 2 sets of twins, having been a saxophonist in the West Point Band, and teaching actively, ois is de nitely still here is piece explores groove on the terms of the player. ertain skills only come from experience, so I wanted to represent that in a piece.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

No One is Special, but veryone atters for tenor saxophone

Commissioned by Andre os er

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Program Note o ne is ecia but eryone atters was commissioned by Andrew osler. I rst met rew when he was interviewing at ichigan State niversity for a dual degree in usic eory and Saxophone Performance. I got a bit excited because S has a great history of saxophonist theorists, many of whom I have played my music. Sadly he ended up at niversity of ichigan blue or green, none of it really matters . rew was this kind person who I would see on literally every single project over the next few years, including putting an album out of new saxophone music. e is active and proli c. e is also young and ambitious. In getting to know him more, he told me about the negativity he has experienced throughout his life of people who have tried to bring him down. I found a kindred spirit as someone very open about my childhood and the very negative experience I encountered. We immediately bonded over the fact that we must as a community be supportive of everyone. I rarely get to see tenor play beautiful melodies, so this piece gives you a tenor melody and explores the full range of the instrument. It represents the idea that even if we all do di erent things, even if we have di erent tastes and even pedagogical styles, none of it is more important than anyone else, B we all still really matter. - Spencer Arias

t. Nowhere for tenor saxophone

Commissioned by cott hi i s

Program Note

t o here was commissioned by Scott Phillips. I have known Scotty the longest of all the people on this project having grown up in the West alley of Phoenix etro, we eventually attended Ari ona schools. We were both involved in the organi ation appa appa Psi him at Northern Ari ona, and me at Ari ona State. e motto for that organi ation is to strive for the highest. One thing I think happens when aiming for the highest, which can often be hard to deal with, is trying so hard for perfection and growth that you take a step back in your development as a person and musician. is piece explores this idea through Ambient music, which has been an essential part of my growth as a musician, primarily through the music of Brian no. It can explore many things, but it often helps me by removing stress or frustration through relaxation. I imagine myself exploring a mountain that never ends and is not about the journey, but instead is about the exploration. It is gentle, yet can also be overbearing. Its duration can be quite long or short, but most important is how long you want it to be. With all that in mind, t. Nowhere should be explored, not conquered. ere is no top, but there is certainly a path you may choose, and while it is not about striving for the highest, it is about striving for growth and self-re�ection.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

Performance Instructions

Ambient music is important to my growth as a musician. It can explore many things, but what it often does most for me is take me away from my stress and frustration. I imagine myself exploring a mountain that never ends, and is not about the journey, and instead is about the exploration. It is gentle yet can also be overbearing. Its duration can be quite long or short, but most important is how long you want it to be.

With all that in mind, t. Nowhere is meant to be explored not conquered. ere is no top, but there is certainly a path you may choose.

Play each note, in order, for as long or short as you would like, creating a semi-ambient textural space. ong duration notes are generally preferred to short bursts. xceptions to this are using fanned repeated notes with dynamic swells Any note can be repeated, any number of times.

At anytime you may move back up pitches, but then you must move forward at least 1 more pitch than you went back. or example, if you play pitches 1- , then you go back to pitch , you should go to at least pitch before trying to go back. is can either be a skip or a retrograde.

ynamics should be varied, and explore a mixture of stasis and movement.

xplore a mixture of wide and narrow vibrato at various speeds.

If any extended playing techniques are used, look at them within the context of the texture. Any e ects should include the pitch of the note you are on.

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ou may repeat the sequence any number of times. e piece may last for as little as a minute, and up to 0 if you so choose, but each moment should come in the pursuit of exploration, so the length should not be longer than the exploration.

ou also are encouraged to explore this piece with the aid of e ects pedals or other digital recording techniques, such as recording into a AW, and adding e ects in post.

own the abbit ole for tenor saxophone Commissioned by re Whiting

Program Note

o n the abbit o e was commissioned by rew Whiting. I rst interacted with rew via social media, probably because he had a rainbow border around his pro le picture, which told me, is is a safe person to know. I rst heard him play at the 2020 NASA Biennial conference, where he played some of the noisiest and thrilling music I got to hear at that event. While getting to know rew, I learned about his love of contemporary and avant-garde music, particularly graphic scores and improvisatory traditions. Improvisation is something I have been exploring musically for a few years now, and so to nd a performer who was 100 on board with no convincing was a thrill. e concept that stuck with me was when he said the phrase my musical rabbit hole, as well as interval sets that de ne di erent patterns. own the abbit ole is about transforming a limited amount of musical material through simple pathbased choice operations. By the time the performer has traverse down the jagged triangular spiral, they should have explored a musical space that challenges your perspective of what my limited provided gesture means. ey should have explored the uncommon path and challenge their musical likes and dislikes. Still, ultimately they should enjoy the fun of going on an adventure in an almost somewhat nonsensical parody of what a composed piece is expected to be.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

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e Space Between s for tenor saxophone

Commissioned by oren amm

Program Note

e ace Bet een s was commissioned by Soren amm. At the time of composition, Soren lives in my favorite region of the S, the Paci c Northwest. I was fortunate to live there for two and a half years but was less lucky not to meet him. When he arrived in the PNW, he seemed to take the music scene by storm. e got hyper-involved in an organi ation that is near and dear to my heart, the ive usic Project, which until recently was run by a dear friend Shaya yon, and is now run by another dear friend egan Ihnen. Soren is living the life I want. ere I am, living in the idwest, where Soren lived before moving back home to acoma, and there he is working with my favorite people, in my favorite region, and living life to the fullest. It reminds me of our conversation, as we got to know each other, of being caught between two worlds. e space between Soren and I is literal. Still, it is gurative because, in saxophone, it is elementary to get caught up in what is the most e ective way of using the instrument. One of loud and noisy, with a bounty of extended techniques, versus one that emphais es a near song-like qulaity which can be equally beaut ul. Why can t it have a little bit of both is piece grapples with that question, asks the larger community, does any of this matter, and can we all make our art and be friends.

- Spencer Arias 2021

Performance Note ultiphonic ngerings are labeled with a number from arcus Weiss and iorgio Netti s e echni ue o a o hone aying Barenreiter, 2010 . is is limited to multiphonics 1 , 1 , 20, 2 , and .

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improvise starting with the harmonic series something outragous and noisy, but feel to go o the rails

e week before the end for baritone saxophone

Commissioned by atitude or Andy a

Program Note

e eek be ore the end was commissioned by atitude for Andy all and was the rst piece I wrote for the book before I even knew there was a book . I wrote this piece the week before the 2020 election. y goal was to explore some of the frustrations I was experiencing during that time. is piece was made possible because atitude graciously asked me to participate in their Bagatelles project, in which 100 of the proceeds of their album sales would go to support AAPA - oalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts. Please buy their album because, as I said, 100 of the album proceeds go to a great organi ation I wanted to explore groove in a way that I hadn’t done much of before this. I had written a few minimalist-type things, but nothing that focused on the concept of groove. As you probably know, I do play the saxophone, but do so rarely these days. One of my favorite memories, though, was playing bari saxophone in a funk band back in high school. I don’t have many happy memories from that time, but that was a high point, and it happened in the last six months of high school. I would say the same is true of the years 201 -2020. e end of that era feels somewhat surreal. I remember coming up with the title when they announced that we would have a th president and seeing the rst woman vice president. I had tears in my eyes. While the following year was not all roses, it reminds me that all bad will eventually end.

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- Spencer Arias 2021

e = 1

A song for kindness for baritone saxophone

Commissioned by Betsy an on or race e i

Program Note

A song or kindness was commissioned by Betsy anlon as part of the eorgia Senate uno election commissioning project led by atthew ennedy. While not a saxophonist, Betsy loves the instrument, and my friend race, for who I wrote my piece, what is your world, had just moved to eorgia for a master s in saxophone performance. I felt how appropriate that some of those works should be performed by actual eorgia voters. A song for kindness presents a single melodic line as it begs people to think about how personal actions a ect others, but it does so on the Bari sax, which often gets relegated to groove and bass, which it does so well. I think the Bari has this kind and gentle side that we don t often get to see, and it should be explored more. - Spencer Arias 2021

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the fun of it all for baritone saxophone

Commissioned by y e ones

Program Note the un o it a was commissioned by yle ones as part of the eorgia Senate uno election commissioning project led by att ennedy. I met yle at the 2020 NASA Biennial conference at a dinner that the brilliant saxophonist Noa van invited me to, and we immediately hit it o . roughout the pandemic, we got to know each other. When I saw his name come up on the eorgia project, I knew I had to make it happen. the fun of it all is a line from a poem, titled ecember irge, written by my late grandmother oan evine who passed away in une 201 . y grandfather had passed away only six months prior in ecember, and she wrote this while in the hospital with him. It always makes me cry when I read it, as she made all these life plans for when she was on her own. In the months after he died, before she got sick, we spoke nearly every week, more than we had ever. None of this has anything to do with yle or even this piece, but the line e fun of it all. yle has encouraged me so much to live a more openly gay existence. es, I have been out with no hesitation since 2011 and realistically not till 201 . Still, if I’m honest with myself, it wasn’t until much more recently, particularly during the pandemic, that I reali ed that I was not genuinely embracing gay culture and the fun and enjoyment of life without hesitation.

ecember irge by oan evine

In sleep comes tears as I seem to feel your touch again. And re-live the wonder of us in the beginning, the middle, and what I never dreamed would be the end So much to remember the passion, the kids, the dogs, the music friends, the fun of it all e world without end except now ours has stopped.

I feel you still, and miss you always and the tears come your oan

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- Spencer Arias 2021

alternate between pitched, air, and key click sounds insert small trills throughout

explore the harmonic series on A, improvise at various speeds

improvise unwritten pitches, legato

change harmonic each repeat, include previous gesture at will

uende for baritone saxophone

Commissioned by oshua omas

Program Note uende was commissioned by oshua omas as part of the eorgia Senate uno election commissioning project led by att ennedy. oshua commissioned ten other composers to write pieces based on words that had come upon in a word of the day list he had been collecting. e thought it would be a cool idea for each composer to pick one word to base their work on however they see t. at collection is titled isce any and can be played as a single piece, in groups, or its entirety. When thinking about this piece and what I know about oshua, I was struck by his Smart epertoire initiative, which you can learn more about on his website. Works for the project are more approachable by not using altissimo with little to no extended techniques. I wanted to add to this idea with his artistic vision and do it on an instrument that is lacking repertoire that somewhat reminds me of the repertoire I would have played when I was studying saxophone. I picked duende because when I saw a word in Spanish, I knew that I wanted to write for it. ven better, I loved the idea of folklore being the way I would write this piece and knew it would be fun to write music about a pesky creature that causes trouble.

uende Spanish, late 1 th c.

1.A quality of passion and inspiration.

2.In the folklore of Spain, Portugal, atin America, and the Philippines, a supernatural being or spirit resembling a pixie or imp.

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- Spencer Arias 2021