Building the Clarinet Choir Repertoire: Composer Collaborations
by Margaret Thornhill
“Where do you find repertoire?”
Since 2007, when I started writing this column, the most common question I've received from readers is a basic one: how do you find new repertoire? For a young group seeking to build a library my answer is simple: an internet search on the term “clarinet choir” can be revelatory. Websites of established clarinet choirs, playlists of their recordings, music publisher listings, specialty wind music dealer inventories, composer websites, YouTube performances, and back-issues of The Clarinet containing this column all can contain titles that might be perfect for your group.
But there's a second answer for experienced clarinet choirs: leave a legacy! Get something written for your group. Make friends with a composer. Invite your composer friend to hear your amazing ensemble. Find a way to add to the development of this unique medium by generating new music.
Composers Close to Home
In this column I've already profiled many clarinet choirs that have added significantly to the repertoire. Historically, famous large 20th-century choirs such as that of Simeon Bellison in pre-WWII New York (The Clarinet: March 2010; Volume 37 #2) and Harvey Hermann at the University of Illinois (March 2009; Volume 36 #2) programmed new symphonic arrangements made by the conductors themselves (or in Hermann's case, his students, such as the excellent Daniel Freeman). Among contemporary clarinet choirs, Guido Six, the prolific Belgian composer/clarinetist conductor of Claribel (June, 2014; Volume 41 #3), continues this tradition.
Other choirs might collaborate with a composer or arranger known to the ensemble as a performing member or friend. Ensembles with deeper pockets can approach favored composers with the possibility of a full commission or honorarium. Distinguished composers for wind band have often been very open to writing for ensembles of clarinets. In these pages, we have noted these trends with the British Clarinet Ensemble (June, 2013; Volume 40 #3), the Finnish Clarinet Ensemble (Sept., 2008; Volume 35 #4), the New York Licorice Ensemble (December, 2013; Volume 40 #1), and, with the current golden era of contemporary Japanese wind music including much music for clarinet choirs, the work of two generations of talented Japanese composers commissioned by hundreds of school, association, and community groups to write concert and competition pieces (March, 2012; Volume 39 #2).
Lack the funds for a commission? Friendship with a composer might even result in an outright gift of a new work in exchange for the promise of performance opportunities, performances plus an offer to cover some expenses, or perhaps a collaboration on a grant proposal to fund work time or copying costs. Composers need money, but they also need performances and recognition for their work.
Re-setting Existing Works
Sometimes a composer writes with multiple orchestrations in mind from the outset. A recent collaboration by my 16-member Los Angeles Clarinet Choir with west-coast woodwind doubler and composer Mike Curtis is a case in point. Mike composes in diverse ethnic styles from klezmer to huapango for varied combinations of clarinets (and other winds.) Many of his clarinet quartets, such as Bulgarian Bat Bite and Klezmer Wedding, are also well known in other versions. His compositional process often leads him to re-set his quartets for larger forces, (his quartet Global Tour has been equally successful in its clarinet choir version). After sending me samples of a quartet arrangement of some movements of his recent solo studies, Fantasias Mexicanas, Mike announced a plan to expand this intensely expressive and rhythmically complex work for larger forces. My choir offered a modest honorarium and got the chance to premiere this terrific new work, Mexican Fantasies, in fall of 2014.
To gain further perspectives on the commissioning process, I've queried two friends who are artistic directors of two prominent American clarinet choirs, the University of Florida Clarinet Ensemble and the Chicago Clarinet Ensemble, which have had close collaborations with composers resulting in valuable new additions to the clarinet choir repertoire.
Faculty Colleagues
Mitchell Estrin is Professor of Clarinet at the University of Florida (Gainesville) whose excellent large University of Florida Clarinet Ensemble is the product of his talented clarinet studio. As Music Director and Conductor of this ensemble, Estrin has performed and recorded many classic orchestral arrangements for clarinet choir (such as those of Dan Freeman, mentioned above) as well as new original music, including the brilliant and technically challenging One Step at a Time and A Butterfly Coughs in Africa by Paul Richards.
In a recent email exchange, Mitch Estrin talked of his experience in collaborating with composers on new works:
“The original works that come to mind first are the ones written by my esteemed faculty colleagues at the University of Florida, Paul Basler and Paul Richards. Each of them has a distinctive composition style and they know me and my ensemble very well, so their pieces are special to my group. Student composers at the University of Florida have also written excellent music for us. This list includes many of my own students, most notably Kyle Rowan, Martin Gold, Russell Brown, and Christina Cruder.
I have an ongoing relationship with several arrangers, most notably Matt Johnston (editor's note: now with Alry Music.) Matt is immensely gifted and he understands the clarinet ensemble sound and writes for the choir as well as anyone I've ever known. We are in constant contact brainstorming about what his next arrangement(s) should be.”
Estrin believes that new music has a “huge role” in the future of clarinet choirs:
“Playing new music is critically important to the success of a clarinet ensemble. Generating new music that is written expressly with your group in mind is exciting for your players and the audience...
Fundraising for commissions is a very difficult road, especially for a clarinet ensemble. The sound of the clarinet choir is very unique and once a composer or arranger has heard the sound, this will often be a great motivator for them to create music for the ensemble.”
Friends, Colleagues and Acquaintances
The Chicago Clarinet Ensemble was founded by its Artistic Director, Rose Sperrazza in 2007.
In residence at Northern Illinois University, where Sperrazza is Professor of Clarinet, the group also draws on professional players from the greater Chicago community, and has featured numerous well-known artists as guest soloists in its performances. It is a group of flexible size, from 2 to 35 players, and has been previously profiled in The Clarinet by Jorge Montilla in 2012.
I asked Rose Sperrazza to comment on the CCE's Resident Composer, Leo Schwartz, and some of the works they have premiered:
“The Chicago Clarinet Ensemble is fortunate to have a composer in residence. Leo Schwartz has composed many works for us and is very skilled at overcoming the challenge of writing for a large group of like instruments. Both Leo and I, and many of our ensemble members, live in the same or nearby communities so a collaboration made even more sense. Many of us live very close to Northeastern Illinois University, our home-base.
The talented individuals that compose for us are friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who are familiar with CCE. Sometimes I approach them and sometimes they approach me. All of them are unique works, not re-arranged from another medium. As with many classical performing ensembles, commissions and honorariums are based on a combination of fundraising, sponsorship, and the generosity of our composers.
Tres Canciones was composed by our resident composer, Leo Schwartz. It’s very unique both in sound and concept. Leo set the poetry of Amado Nervo and Alfonsina Storni to a three movement work that features a countertenor. The blending of the poetry, music, and unusually pure timbre of the countertenor creates an exotic sound worthy of further exploration...
Another new work by a Chicago composer is “ruth, rubric-rational: realisms – relationals” by Jeffrey Kowalkowski. This work is a tone poem scored for 13 clarinets and synthesizer. Jeff is a master of sound and effects and the work really highlights that ability...Both Leo and Jeff have won significant awards for their artistic work. Leo Schwartz won the prestigious “Jeff” award in two categories for a musical that he wrote in 2013. Jeff Kowalkowski was the 2011 honoree of The Helen Coburn Meier and Tim Meier Arts Achievement Award. It’s great to have two active and vibrant composers right in our back yard!”
Interaction in the Creative Process
My personal experience with new music written for the Los Angeles Clarinet Choir showed me that dialogue with composers during the creative process is a great learning experience for both composer and ensemble. Even very experienced composers love being able to ask questions and try out special effects with clarinets of different sizes to determine the what is technically possible and understand what the limitations might be. Access to readings of early drafts of their work can lead them to even more successful (and more performable) results. The Los Angeles Clarinet Choir has been privileged to go through this process with three outstanding (non-clarinetist) composers, Edward Cansino (The Great Clarinet Circus, 2006), David Avshalomov (Three Outside, 2008). and Erol Gurol (Night Rhapsody, 2011) as well as more recently with our clarinetist/composer friend Mike Curtis. whose music for clarinet choir is entirely idiomatic. We are also lucky to have two very skilled arrangers, Christin Hablewitz and David Sucik, as performing members of our group.
I asked if Mitch and Rose had similar experiences with composers and arrangers during the process of composition, either giving specific advice or making recommendations or requests.
Mitch Estrin offered these observations:
“I will often be in contact with a composer or arranger during their creative process. As an example, when my ensemble recorded The Young Person's Guide to the Clarinet Choir by Paul Harvey. I suggested adding variations for the A-flat clarinet and basset horn and Paul was happy to oblige. He asked how high he could write for the A-flat player and I said go for it. He ended the variation on a high E above the staff!
On occasion, I have asked Matt Johnston to add timpani and/or percussion, and string bass to his arrangements. I review scores prior to the first reading and have found composers and arrangers very receptive to my suggestions. Sometimes after the first reading, I will take suggestions back to the composer or arranger from members of my ensemble. I remember one instance where a composer had written some very difficult technical passages for the B-flat clarinets crossing back and forth from the clarion to the altissimo register and he willingly re-wrote them to be more playable. On occasion, I have asked a composer to use A clarinets to make certain passages more playable. There is always a bit of poetic license, especially for a first performance.”
Rose Sperrazza writes of the CCE”S collaboration with composer/E-flat clarinet soloist Jorge Montilla:
“Our quest for new repertoire was a natural extension of the ensemble itself. It's very exciting for both the audience and the ensemble to be the first ones to experience something fresh and unique! Also, having the ability to work, and sometimes perform, with the composer allows for so much customization. For instance, when Jorge Montilla composed Venezuelan Dances for us, he also performed the premiere with us. We all know what an Eb virtuoso he is and so the part reflects his ability and love for that little clarinet!. It’s a great piece and one that keeps the ensemble on our toes.”
In a unique example of customization, a work by clarinetist/composer Eric Mandat was written to feature the skills of individual players in the CCE in performing on specific clarinets, as well as referencing their personal relationships!
“Eric Mandat wrote Pursuits of Happiness with three couples in mind: Stanley and Naomi Drucker, John Bruce (Yeh) and Teresa Reilly, and myself (Rose Sperazza) and David Tuttle. Each movement was composed with a couple in mind. The first movement, Romp, was for Stanley and Naomi and features a long, beautiful, technical clarinet cadenza (for Stanley); the second is a beautiful movement called Honesty that highlights the Eb clarinet (for John) and the basset horn (for Teresa); the final movement, Stomp, is an exciting and rhythmic movement for David Tuttle and myself. Since Eric Mandat is a fine clarinetist as well as a composer, he completely understands how to compose for clarinets. The piece was definitely composed with instrumentation as well as people in mind.”
Looking Forward
If the future of the clarinet choir depends on our championing the music of the present, Mitch Estrin expresses these thoughts best:
“Music must progress forward and the clarinet ensemble cannot simply live as a museum piece. The six octave range and unique tonal spectrum of the clarinet choir offer composers and arrangers an infinite landscape for their creativity. I look forward to hearing what may come next!”
For further ideas about how to find, approach, or commission a composer, you might enjoy reading suggestions by the American Composers Forum, a service organization for composers, on their website:
http://composersforum.org/program/commissioning-individuals
Copyright 2015, Margaret Thornhill. All Rights Reserved. A copy of this article originally appeared in the March 2015 issue of The Clarinet.
