The Singing Horn

Solo for French Horn
MITCH BOUCHER
This is a short solo for French horn. I admire the tone of the instrument but have never written for it, so I decided to come up with a little joyful piece which has some Baroque qualities. Born in 1994, Mitch Boucher has a passion for the Baroque era. He studied harpsichord and music composition at the University of Southern Maine while substituting as organist for several churches near his hometown. He currently serves in a Methodist church as organist and choir accompanist.

Oh, Lay Me Down On Leaves of Willow
ERIK BRANCH
Initially, I planned to set some folk-inspired poetry for this intriguing project, but decided instead to assume the role of lyricist myself. The text is inspired by that of the traditional “Willow Song,” and its setting assumes a folk-like style without referring to or quoting any preexisting tunes. Erik Branch is a native of New York City, and received a B.A. and M.A. in Music (Composition) from Hunter College. He lives near Orlando FL, where he is active as a pianist, musical director, composer/arranger, operatic tenor, and actor on stage and screen.

Dream of an Epiphany
LYDIA LOWERY BUSLER
On an excerpt of Zora Neale Hurston. Born in 1891, Zora Neale Hurston was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. Lydia Lowery Busler is an ASCAP-Naxos Composer and a world-renowned improvisationalist. She now spends her time as a globally-certified Transformation Coach Deep-Grounding and Six-Phase Meditation Trainer. She instituted a cooperative business model in which composers and creatives utilizing new music support one another collaboratively with minimal monetary inequity or waste.

Sophia’s Melody
SARA CHRISTIE
For my band final, my teacher has us compose pieces and perform them in class. My friend, Sophia, had created a small melody but didn’t know what to do with it. So, this was my attempt to help her. She didn’t use it, but I hope you can enjoy it instead! Hello! My name is Sara Christie. I’m 16 years old. I’m going into my senior year of high school at Sachem East High School on Long Island NY. I have been playing the French Horn since fourth grade. I’ve participated in performance groups such as SCMEA, NYSCAME, and All-State, and on several CDs. My research interest lies in modal-inspired compositional techniques.

Declamation
ANDREW DESIDERIO
Declamation for solo horn is, by nature, declamatory. Composer Andrew Desiderio has written film scores, orchestral, and instrumental works, songs, and music for the theater. Major works include Sisi Portraits, a song cycle based on texts by Empress Elisabeth of Austria (premiered March 2022); a Serenade for Strings, and an extended set of variations for cello.

I Remember
THOMAS HAINES
I Remember is a reflection on childhood memories centered on the deep feelings of the good times gone bye. Half-memories begin the work followed by the exuberance of child-like joy. This piece is set in the memory of rural farmland where love of wandering rivulets and bluegrass music abound.
Thomas Haines is an American composer of orchestra, chamber, and contemporary music works. He was the Founding Director of the Film Scoring Program at the Aspen Music Festival & School and remains active as a film composer. Currently, he is composing for stage and various media platforms while continuing to work with young composers and singer-songwriters.

Season of Ice
BRIAN HOLMES
Season of Ice sets a translation of a 9th century Irish text. It is a ritual announcing the onset of Winter. I wish that the horn could be heard first off-stage, with the singer approaching from a distance during the song. But that’s not very practical, is it? Brian Holmes usually writes for solo voice or chorus. His compositions include operas, several large pieces for chorus and orchestra, 12 song cycles, over 100 choral works, and various instrumental works. A retired physics professor, he studies the physics of music, plays horn, and has written over 75 Christmas carols.

The Coast of Kerry MICHAEL KOSCH
Ravenous shallows devour squall-battered ships along the coast of County Kerry. Across this breaker-beaten shore, over jagged crags half-clad in lacy foam veils, a fitful gale ever wails and whines — or is it a woeful wraith, serenading a slumbering loved one, asleep beneath surf-shrouded gravestones? Composer Michael Kosch has written operas, orchestral pieces, chamber and solo works. He was born in Paterson NJ, and studied music composition at the University of Miami and University of Illinois. His recent music draws inspiration from the paintings and sculptures of Italian Renaissance artists.

maltija MICHAEL LAUS
maltija is a set of variations on the first phrase of a Maltese folk tune, in the genre of “għana.” The phrase is modified on each repetition, passing from horn to voice and reaching a mini climax, after which the muted horn repeats the phrase in its simplest form. Michael Laus studied piano, harpsichord, and composition at the Milan Conservatory and conducting with George Manahan and Vladimir Delman. He has been Resident Conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra for 25 years and collaborated with Arvo Pärt among others. He is Associate Professor at the University of Malta.

Fox Den
MATTHEW MURCHISON
This is a movement from a suite of miniatures for solo horn. Each movement relates to either an earthly or fantastical aspect of nature. I hoped to capture a scene of playful and mischievous foxes. MATTHEW MURCHISON enjoys a varied life as a performer, composer, and arranger. Murchison was a member of Pittsburgh’s River City Brass from 2002–2015. He can be heard on solo, chamber, and large ensemble albums. Visit murchmusic.net for sheet music and more.

Outdoor Song
P. F. STROHM
Outdoor Song was written for the unique talents of Mary Beth Orr, emphasizing her wonderful skills of horn and voice. The pentatonic vocal meshes with the chanter-inspired flourishes of the horn lines to create a simple, brief statement about love for the outdoors. Pete Strohm, ASCAP, lives near Seattle WA. He has created a substantial number of brass, woodwind, and string solo and ensemble pieces, with additional works for larger ensembles and voice. His primary teachers were John Pozdro (University of Kansas) and Hanley Jackson (Kansas State University). Visit petestrohm.com or @petestrohm on YouTube for more.

Au Débotté JEAN-PIERRE VIAL
Au Débotté is a short impromptu-like piece that exploits the full usual range of the French horn (“Au Débotté” is a French adverbial phrase for “right away”). The piece is dedicated to horn player Mary Beth Orr. Jean-Pierre Vial, born in 1946 near Paris, France, is a former software designer. At an early age, he learned the piano, the organ, and composed several pieces for both instruments. Over the last decade, various soloists, small ensembles, and orchestras have performed his music worldwide.

Waiting for the Beast to Die
ANNELOES WOLTERS
Traditionally, the princess waits to be happily married with the prince who slayed the beast. But young women locked up develop eating disorders and men sent to kill suffer from PTSD. A troubadour tells their story, with instrumental reflections in between. Their last sigh of lost hope sounds. Anneloes Wolters – de Baat (1975) is a Dutch composer, living in Delft. She writes stories in music. Wolters uses story telling structures, mathematical sequences, and sound-color-mixes to set up a composition. She combines music with other art-forms. She currently works on an illustrated music-book and a textile puppet-theater.

Mode 2
JUSTIN WRITER
Mode 2 refers to the pentatonic scale used for the work. Essentially, mode 2 is a natural minor scale without the second and sixth scale degrees. This mode, among others, is common in folk music and was chosen for its ties to Appalachia. Justin Writer is a composer of chamber, large-ensemble, and electronic works. His day job is teaching young adults how to spell chords (a.k.a. music theory). A more complete bio is available at justinwriter.com

In a Dunhuang Neighborhood
JIANING YANG
The music I heard in Dunhuang’s neighborhood is not complicated at all but makes one feel at home. Music, at that very moment, captured the warm connection between people that made the town alive, or in Chinese, gave the town “烟火气”。Born and raised in Shenzhen, Jianing Yang is a composer/researcher whose music appreciates little moments in life, how she internalizes the world, and tries to combine music with her passion for natural science. Her music has been performed by Trout Quartet and is featured in highSCORE festival, MATA Jr., and more.