Soloist and Electronics

For the Love of Family (2023) - for Tuba and Fixed Media

$25.00

For the Love of Family was commissioned in the summer of 2023 by Tom Stein. For the Love of Family is an uplifting work for solo tuba or euphonium and fixed media that includes references to hymns such as Amazing Grace and The Old Rugged Cross mixed with original material. The A section is exciting and upbeat, with the soloist mingling with bright synths, a grooving bassline, and a drum set. The B section pays homage to The Old Rugged Cross, with strings and vocal synths helping create a lush soundscape. Finally, the C section is an energetic finale, drawing inspiration from British Brass Band music. A contrabass tuba, bass tuba, and euphonium version of For the Love of Family are included.

Duration: 6 minutes

Difficulty: Contrabass version: 3/5, Bass version: 3.5/5, Euphonium version: 3/5

Format: PDF solo part the contrabass tuba, bass tuba, and euphonium versions and MP3 file of the backing track.

Recording coming soon!

Copyright © 2023 Ian Lester

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S0c1AL - for trombone, fixed media, and optional guitar pedals

$25.00

S0c1AL was written in 2022 for Brent Mead as part of his grant-based project to commission several new works for trombone that all were to relate to issues, disorders, and traumas that many people face. The project is aimed towards younger people in an effort to show through music that these negativities in life can be dealt with and managed in a healthy way, and more importantly, to show that there are others who have faced similar obstacles; you are not alone. S0c1AL deals with the topic of social anxiety, a type of anxiety disorder, that many people, including myself, struggle with to some extent. Social anxiety is persistent and makes it difficult to do things such as meet new people, develop new relationships, and attend social gatherings. Furthermore, someone with social anxiety may fear that they are being judged by others and feel helpless to control these feelings. S0c1AL is a through-composed work that consists of three main thematic sections:

I. There are Almost 8 Billion People on This Planet, yet I Feel so Alone: This first section portrays the constant pendulum of emotions associated with social anxiety. One is fearful of being around others, yet simultaneously yearns for friendship. This inner conflict is represented frequent shifting between “bright” and “dark” melodic and harmonic structures in both the solo trombone part and the backing track. Optional pedals used: Reverb, Octave, and Delay.

II. Risk with a Side of Self-doubt: This movement represents the anxiety, fear, and questions that arise when approaching someone new: “What should I say? What if they think I’m weird? Do I make small talk?” Optional pedals used: Overdrive and Chorus.

III. Free: Finally, this optimistic movement represents the relief and weight off the shoulders when one successfully makes a new friend. Optional pedals used: Reverb.

Duration: 6 minutes

Difficulty: 3.5/5

Format: PDF solo part and WAV file of the backing track.

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RETRO GROOVE MACHINE (2022) - for Euphonium and Fixed Media

$20.00

Written in early 2022 for euphoniumist Demondrae Thurman, RETRO GROOVE MACHINE is a work for euphonium and fixed media that fuses elements of 80's synth pop and rock, 90's hip hop, and theme music from from crime and detective TV shows from the 80's and 90's.

Duration: 4 minutes 10 seconds

Difficulty: 4/5

Format: PDF solo euphonium part and WAV file of the backing track.

Premiere performance can be heard here: soundcloud.com/ianlester-1/retro-groove-machine-world-premiere-performance

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Hindsight (2021) - for Tuba (or Euphonium) and Fixed Media

$25.00

Hindsight was written in 2021 as part of a consortium led by Taylor Hicks. The work revolves around the saying “hindsight is 20/20”, an expression that in this instance, refers to how humanity might look back on the year 2020, including the COVID-19 Pandemic and the turbulent and constant social and political unrest that swept through the United States. Hindsight is written in an arch form (ABCBA) with slight deviations within the following three main sections: 1. The Empty Streets, 2.Pandemic Pandemonium, 3. March.

Consortium Members:

Taylor Hicks (Lead Commissioner), John Szkutko, James O’Connell, Chasse Duplantis, Kevin Fenske, Dr. Jesse Orth, Thomas G. Stein, Nick Beltchev, Steph Frye-Clark, Walter Hicks, Nathan Gay, Alexander Lapins, Edward Shaw Jr, Tim Schachtschneider, Jonathan Jarman, Patrick Yeh, Drew Leslie

Duration: 8 minutes 30 seconds

Difficulty: 3.5/5

Format: PDF solo parts (both tuba and euphonium versions included) and the MP3 file of the backing track

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