Christopher Tucker: Music Gallery
VINYL GROOVES
(for young band)
2009 • Estimated timing: 4'20" • Grade 2
I. Slow Tango
II. Quickstep
[Manuscript]
The composer writes, "When Matthew Hiller approached me about writing a new composition for his middle school band program, he was intrigued by the musical relationship between Frank Ticheli's wind band pieces, Joy and Joy Revisited. These works share musical elements but differ in level of maturity, one at a young band level and the other at an intermediate high school level. Matthew wanted a set of two pieces which could be performed on the same concert by a middle school band program - one for beginning band and the other for young band, sharing similar music material.
Vinyl Grooves is a set of dances inspired by the use of vinyl records from the mid-20th century. Effects in the composition, including vocalization and paper crackling, represent the sounds of a vinyl record before and after the music is presented. The shared underlying bass theme in the beginning band dance Slow Tango becomes the upper winds' musical flirtation in the young band dance Quickstep."
Vinyl Grooves was commissioned by the Smith Middle School Bands (Cleburne, TX), Matthew Hiller and Brock Feller, directors.
Special Note: This collection will see each "groove" published separately. They can stand alone in performance or as a set.