RTM 12/2019 Update

12/27/2019

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12/2019 Update!

In the update below you'll find:

What's New
What's Next
- Shared Works in Progress
- Upcoming Performances
- Commissions/Clinics
IMO - A Short Blog

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Dear Colleagues & Friends,

I hope everyone is having a meaningful holiday season with friends and family. One of my favorite times of year is going from The Midwest Clinic straight into the holiday season. The Midwest Clinic is always a wonderful experience. Fascinating sessions, presented by incredible people, internationally relevant performances, and the chance to meet and catch up with inspiring people from other islands in our archipelago of music education, creation, and performance. Whatever your role is in our community, THANK YOU!

Forward

What's New?

Boardman MS Directors Tim Tuite and Michael Shevock commissioned a new piece for their young band available soon. This is a fun composition inspired by the music of Philip Glass. CLICK HERE!

Robert K. Matchett III and Elizabeth Freimuth commissioned a duet which I finished in October. This is a fun piece that I am very much looking forward to hearing performed soon! Music will be available at the MMP catalog. Listen to the MIDI rendering HERE.

Since 1965, the North Hills High School Bands have annually commissioned a composer to create a new work for wind band. I am honored to contribute to that collection in 2020 with “Through These Woods...”. Thank you to the North Hills High School Band Directors Len Lavelle & Lucas Beaver, for the opportunity to interact with you and your students. You can check out a MIDI rendering of the piece HERE.

Check Out My Music Here!

What’s Next?

I am currently writing a memorial commission for the Norwin High School Bands (Tim Daniels & Brandon Kandrack - Directors) who unexpectedly lost a member of the band in the summer of 2019. I am honored to work on such a special project for a program that is very near and dear to my heart.

For those of you who have contacted me to work toward your pageantry design, I will be in touch within the first week of January about the next steps! Enjoy this time with your families! You deserve it!

Free Etudes!

In the summer of 2019, I was asking a question on the local Western PA Band Directors facebook page about a common concerto, and someone commented that it is getting harder and harder for their students and district to spend money. In fact, I have been there myself when I was teaching full time. To support this reality, I am writing a series of FREE etudes targeted at the high school instrumentalist. Most Fridays I have a new etude for anyone that is interested. My goal is to do this through May 2020. To learn more about this and check out the etudes that have been written thus far, click the link below! http://www.robtraugh.com/free-etudes.html

Upcoming Performances:

February 22, 2020 at 7:30 PM - Westmoreland Symphonic Winds— Christopher Marra, Conductor performs "#".

March 12-14, 2020 - North Hills HS Wind Ensemble - Len Lavelle & Lucas Beaver, Directors - premieres "Through These Woods..." at the Music for All National Festival.

April 15, 2020 - Youngstown State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble - Stephen Gage, Conductor performs "The River at First Light".

April 22-25, 2020 - Bethel Park High School Wind Ensemble - Chad Thompson, Director performs "The River at First Light" @ The PMEA Conference

Report A Performance!

Commissions/Clinics:

A commission is a unique way to interact with a composer. I am available for commissions for ensembles of all ability levels. If you are interested in asking me to create something new for your ensemble, send me an email inquiry and ask for more information about the timeline and pricing. I have a lot of composer friends I can direct you to as well if you are looking for something different!

I am also available to come into your school and guest conduct or clinic your ensemble or honors band! I have had some great experience with groups from grades 7 - 12 of all levels.

Let me know how I can help YOU - the amazing educators making it happen every day.

IMO

To my friends who program concerts near and far: Composing is always more fun when you have a variety of unique timbres and voices to write with. Programming a concert with a similar mindset can be just as fun. Of course, I appreciate your consideration of my music as you are programming for your ensembles. In addition, I believe we have a responsibility to the students in our ensembles to take a serious approach to programming music that reflects the diversity of the world around us. After all, perspective is one of the greatest gifts a teacher/conductor can provide to those sitting in their ensemble. Consider the diversity of perspectives you can provide to your students through the diverse compositional voices you select, particularly from people who may not traditionally have had the opportunity to contribute within the mainstream wind band “scene." One of the most amazing things happening in the band world right now is the ease of access to these diverse voices. There are many resources for finding these voices and their contributions to consider. I’ll create a blog post soon to help direct everyone to these groups. A great place to start is the Murphy Music Press catalog. I would encourage you to dive deeper into the composition and the voice that created it. After all, that is what is most enjoyable about making music. : )

I hope everyone has a great start to the new year!

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For your consideration, 2019-20

8/13/2019

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First, Thank You!

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of the ensembles, and directors for programming my music in the past. Without your support, I would not have the opportunity to continue writing! There are some exciting projects on the horizon!

Music for Band

I have several pieces for band for your consideration when choosing your programming in 2019-20.

Grade Level 3 - 4

Grade 3 - Roaring Run 2017 LISTEN HERE
- Roaring Run is a color piece for your consideration. Written in 2017 for the third Kiski Area High School Concert Band, the piece has an accessible instrumentation.
Grade 3.5 - The River at First Light 2018 LISTEN HERE
- The River at First Light was commissioned by the Kiski Valley Community Band and was written as an experiment in the meshing of my writing, with influences drawn from the more traditional symphonic band literature. This piece has had quite a lot of interest since it's premier.
Grade 4 - # (Hashtag) 2012 LISTEN HERE
- Originally this piece was written as a concert opener. I aimed to mesh a 16th note based funk with elements of fanfare which turned into something quite unique and exciting. This is a blast to perform, and is a great introductory into the study of 16th note based rhythm for an advanced band.

Grade Level 5+

Grade 5 - A Fleeting Moment 2015 LISTEN HERE
- This was written as a through line exploration in timbre and orchestration. I aimed to explore expressive qualities in my own writing with this study in texture and tone. The reward in the study of this piece is great, but it will take an advanced and independent ensemble to put it together. This piece is strongly recommended for the ensemble interested in honing in on their expressive and communicative qualities.
Grade 5 - Fault Lines 2017 LISTEN HERE
- Fault Lines was my masters thesis project. This piece is a symphonic metamorphosis of themes. The piece was written with a synthesizer part that would need planned out, and studied with the conductor to allow for a unique electro acoustic performance. Due to the timbre choices in the synthesizer part, it is expected that no two performances of this work should sound the same. There is a great opportunity for the advanced ensemble to create their own story through the study of this piece.

For Jazz Ensemble

Grade 3.5 Outside Perspectives 2017 LISTEN HERE
- Outside Perspectives is a funk chart centering around a 7/4 hook. This is a great chart for an intermediate level to advanced level jazz ensemble. The trumpet range is very accessible and the solo sections provide a great opportunity for a young improvisor to feel confident.

Chamber Music

Bioluminescence for Saxophone Quartet and Laptop LISTEN HERE
- This saxophone quartet uses a video track to help guide performers along the electronic accompaniment track. This piece is recommended for the saxophone quartet that spends quite a bit of time together as a piece of repertoire that steps just outside of the traditional quartet.

Thank You!

Colleagues, thank you for your consideration of my music. If you do decide to program something, or you would like to work on a project together, please let me know by using the button below! As time moves forward, please keep checking back, as there are quite a few exciting projects on the horizon.

I sincerely appreciate all of the support.

Intent to Collaborate

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Perspective

RTM 12/2019 Update

12/2019 Update!

What's New?

What’s Next?

Free Etudes!

Upcoming Performances:

Commissions/Clinics:

IMO

For your consideration, 2019-20

First, Thank You!

Music for Band

Grade Level 3 - 4

Grade Level 5+

For Jazz Ensemble

Chamber Music

Thank You!

Rob Traugh

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