Sabbatical Report
September 16, 2008
Dr. Ron Wray
Associate Professor of Music
Dean Glenn Dasher:
The goals for my spring sabbatical, 2008, were to enhance my compositional skills through tutelage with a renowned composer and to develop works for clarinet which would add to the body of literature for the instrument. After contacting several composers, I began study with Dr. Charles N. Mason, Chair of the Department of Music at Birmingham Southern College, winner of the 2005 Samuel Barber Rome Prize and the 1998 Premi Internacional de Composició Musical Ciutat de Tarragona Orchestra Music Prize. During the course of my sabbatical, I conferred with Dr. Mason on a regular basis and continue to study with him to this day.
My sabbatical efforts resulted in nine completed, fully-realized contrapuntal works, three major performances as a clarinetist, including a faculty recital where I premiered two compositions, the acceptance of a composition to a regional composer’s conference, a master-class presentation at Troy State University, and numerous submissions of scores to contests and competitions.
I began the sabbatical with the revision of three works that were completed in the fall of 2007, “Macaroni,” a woodwind trio; “The Elephant Danced on a Spider’s Web,” for bass clarinet and wind controller, and “Widdershins,” for clarinet, cello, and piano. “Macaroni” (flute, oboe, and clarinet) and “The Elephant Danced …” were premiered on my faculty recital on January 19, 2008. Macaroni was accepted for performance at the Sam Houston State University New Music Festival/Society of Composers Region VI conference held in April, 2008. Preference for acceptance to the festival was given to composers from that region (TX, AR, OK, MO, KS, NE). The following links are a .pdf file of the score and an mp3 recording. The performers are faculty members of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
While the airing of this recording has not been officially scheduled, I have been informed that this recording will receive air time on “Future Notes,” Radio Free Appalachia some time in the coming weeks.
On February 9, 2008, I performed with the Huntsville Chamber Winds and on February 28 I conducted a master-class for approximately fifteen undergraduate clarinetists at Troy State University.
During February, I also completed “Dance Like It Hurts,” a brass quintet. “Dance Like It Hurts” was submitted in a call for scores for the Kentucky New Music Festival. Acceptance to this festival is still pending. The UAH Brass Quintet is currently reading the work.
In March, I completed “Squeeze Me,” a bass clarinet quintet, which is currently undergoing revision and the woodwind quintet “Mint Green.” The following is a MIDI rendition of this quintet.
In April, I completed a work for violin, clarinet, and piano, “RM Time,” and attended the Sam Houston State University New Music Festival/SCI conference in Huntsville, Texas.
May brought forth the completion of two compositions, “Floor to Ceiling,” which was submitted in a call for scores for the Göteborg International Book Fair in Gotenburg, Sweden and “Eventide” a woodwind trio. “Eventide” is, at present, being submitted in a call for scores for the “Tutti” Denison University New Music Festival in Granville, Ohio.
The end of my sabbatical also produced a couple of sketches for compositions which have since been completed. “Amaranth” is a work for flute, piano, and percussion and was recently submitted in a call for scores for the southern chapter of the College Music Society to be held in Orlando, Florida in 2009.
My sabbatical was intensive but very pleasurable. I enjoyed my immersion in composition and the opportunity to study with a very fine composer. I wish to thank you and the university for allowing me this opportunity for it has truly helped me grow as a musician and composer.