Timely!Virtues
1. Courage!and!Confidence
2.!!Listen!and!Change
3.!!Introspection!and!Joy
4.!!Determination!and!Drive
Commissioned by Minnesota Junior Winds
Dr. Charles Weise and Geneva Fitzsimonds, directors
Instrumentation
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet!1!&!2
Alto!Saxophone
Tenor!Saxophone
Trumpet!1!&!2
Horn
Trombone/Baritone!(T.C.!&!B.C.)
Tuba
Piano
Timpani
Bells
Percussion!1 – Snare!Drum,!Bass!Drum![two!performers]
Percussion!2 – Triangle,!Tambourine,!Suspended!Cymbal
Percussion!3 – Crash!Cymbals
Program!Note
Timely'Virtues presents!music!created!to!encourage!thinking! and!engagement!among!the!performers!and!listeners!on!aspects! of!being!a wellWgrounded!individual.!!The fourWmovement!suite also!allows!for!the!performance!of!individual!movements!as! desired.
What!does!it!mean!to have!courage!and!confidence!when!facing! the!challenges!of!today’s!world?!!How!important!is!it!to be!able! to!listen!and!change,!or!to!be!introspective!and joyous?!!How!can! one display!determination!and!drive and!why!might!these! virtues!be!important?!!I’m!hopeful!that!rehearsal!time!might!be! devoted!to!a!discussion!of!the!virtues!alluded!to!in!the!music.
/s/'Timothy'Mahr
Duration in performance: 7:30
TIMELY VIRTUES
Clarinet in B b
Trumpet in B b
Timothy Mahr
2. Listen and Change
Explore your instrument to find a few interesting sounds that are not your normal sound. These will likely be percussive sounds.
Think of a few rhythm patterns that you could repeat using these new sounds, each lasting only a few seconds.
Put some silence for listening in between each repetition. These patterns should change after each listening as you try to make a more harmonious group sound. Keep everything at a p dynamic level.
Start this movement about 6-10 seconds after the end of the first movement. Begin quietly and explore the group sound, listening carefully to the other musicians.
In response to what you hear, simplify your contribution. Take energy out of your material. Alter your rhythms.
Try to become more peaceful in your musical interactions with the others in the ensemble. Eventually decide to let your sound fade away.