BE PART OF COMMISSIONING A NEW RECITAL WORK
FOR BASS CLARINET AND PIANO
BY JONATHAN RUSSELL
THE IDEA
Welcome! I’m Jon, and I LOVE the bass clarinet. I love playing it. I love writing music for it. I love hearing other talented bass clarinetists play it. The unique sound and spirit of the bass clarinet is one of the fundamental through-lines of my entire two-plus decades of creative output. (See my bio for more details on my career and work).
The goal of this consortium is to create a new work for bass clarinet and piano that takes advantage of all the things that this extraordinary instrument can do, while also being highly accessible to audiences and bass clarinetists alike.
Many of my previous bass clarinet compositions include passages that are extremely advanced and difficult; one of the main goals of this consortium will be to create a piece that, while still challenging, is more accessible to a wider range of bass clarinetists. So if you’ve enjoyed some of my other bass clarinet works, but struggled to hit those absurdly high altissimo notes, or to get the “throat harmonics” to sound, here’s a chance to help create a work that, while remaining true to my unique compositional voice, is a bit more approachable and feasible to play.
Please JOIN ME and become part of a community of enthusiastic bass clarinetists who are helping to make this vision a reality. We would love to have you on board!
THE PIECE
Being part of this commissioning consortium funds the creation of a new 15-20 minute recital piece for bass clarinet and piano, featuring my distinctive blend of groove, lyricism, and narrative drama.
The work will explore all the things that make the bass clarinet so special: its vast registral and dynamic range; its deep resonances; its driving grooves; and its wailing lyricism. It will have robust technical challenges, while being written at a level suitable to anyone from a seasoned professional to an advanced student or expert amateur. Any “extended techniques” will be clearly explained and playable by performers without prior expertise. And I will try to avoid extreme altissimo writing — if I really can’t resist (I do love the altissimo!), then I will be sure to include musically satisfying alternatives for any altissimo passages.
The piece will be FUN, FRESH, and ACCESSIBLE: a work that is engaging to practice, stimulating to perform, and enjoyable to listen to, forming a vital new addition to the bass clarinet recital repertoire.
For some insight into the sorts of sounds and ideas you may encounter in the new piece, please check out a few of my representative bass clarinet works (while noting, again, that I will aim to make the consortium piece a bit more approachable to play than some of these):
http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/nomad-concerto-piano-reduction/
http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/sonata-for-bass-clarinet-and-piano/
http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/bass-clarinet-concerto/
http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/on-sorrow-piano-version/
http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/a-requiem-for-2020/
And to get sense of what I’m like to work with, please check out these testimonials from previous commissioners (bottom of the page): http://jonrussellmusic.com/commissioning
THE PROCESS
One of my favorite parts of the consortium I did last year, for Bb clarinet and piano, was giving consortium members a window into my creative process. This included making videos of myself discussing my approach to composing the piece, videos of me actually working on the piece, written updates on how I was thinking about the piece, and notation and audio samples of the piece as it unfolded.
I was worried going into it that opening myself up like this would make me self-conscious and potentially inhibit my creative process. In fact, the opposite proved to be true. The act of sharing my work as it progressed was liberating and inspiring. A process that is usually so solitary felt more communal. And I am absolutely convinced that it led to a better composition than I would have created otherwise. As a result, I am excited and eager to engage in this process again, to see what more I can learn from inviting others into my creative world.
TIMELINE
Consortium launch: October 15, 2022
Consortium close: January 15, 2023
New piece will be delivered via email and/or mail on or before: June 1, 2023
Exclusive performance rights for all consortium members through: May 31, 2024
HOW IT WORKS
As a co-commissioner of the work, you will have exclusive rights to perform the new piece (along with the other co-commissioners) for 12 months after its completion. Your name will also be included in the score, program notes, and promotional materials. Additional perks are also available depending on the package you select (see below).
PACKAGES
There are five different consortium packages available at different price points and with different features and perks. Please read on to determine which package is right for you.
1. STUDENT DISCOUNT PACKAGE: Open to any current, full-time student, at any educational institution, at any level
– Digital score and parts
– Your name included on the score as a consortium member
– 12 months exclusive performance rights (shared with other consortium members)
– Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates on the creation process
Price: $45
Register and pay at the above link.
You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming your membership.
Before registering, please read the consortium agreement here. By purchasing a package, you are agreeing to the contents of this agreement.
2. STANDARD PACKAGE
– Digital score and parts
– Your name included on the score as a consortium member
– 12 months exclusive performance rights (shared with other consortium members)
– Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates on the creation process
Price: $75
Register and pay using the above link.
You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming your membership.
Before registering, please read the consortium agreement here. By purchasing a package, you are agreeing to the contents of this agreement.
3. SILVER PACKAGE
– Digital score and parts
– Hard copy of score and parts
– Your name included on the score as a consortium member
– 12 months exclusive performance rights (shared with other consortium members)
– Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates on the creation process
Price: $100
Register and pay using the above link.
You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming your membership.
Before registering, please read the consortium agreement here. By purchasing a package, you are agreeing to the contents of this agreement.
4. GOLD PACKAGE
– Digital score and parts
– Hard copy of score and parts
– Your name included on the score as a consortium member
– 12 months exclusive performance rights (shared with other consortium members)
– Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates on the creation process
– One 60-minute private (Zoom) coaching on the piece with Jon
Price: $150
Register and pay using the above link.
You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming your membership.
Before registering, please read the consortium agreement here. By purchasing a package, you are agreeing to the contents of this agreement.
5. PLATINUM PACKAGE
– Digital score and parts
– Hard copy of score and parts
– Your name included on the score as a consortium member
– 12 months exclusive performance rights (shared with other consortium members)
– Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates on the creation process
– One 60-minute private (Zoom) coaching on the piece with Jon
– Two additional 60-minute private (Zoom) sessions with Jon on topics of your choice: these could be additional coaching sessions, bass clarinet lessons, composition lessons, or anything else (we could even just hang out and have a cocktail together!)
Price: $250
Register and pay using the above link.
You will receive an email within 24 hours confirming your membership.
Before registering, please read the consortium agreement here. By purchasing a package, you are agreeing to the contents of this agreement.
Thanks for your interest in this project!
ANY QUESTIONS?
ASK JON!