Jonathan Russell

Composer, Clarinetist, Bass Clarinetist

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Slow Loris

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NOTE: The Bb clarinet part is optional. The piece can work successfully solely as a bass clarinet ensemble piece. Originally a tune for my klezmer band Zoyres, it later became the second movement of my clarinet choir composition “Claremont Suite,” and finally took this form in the fall of 2023, for bass clarinet ensemble with […]

You Are The Universe In Ecstatic Motion

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“Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you. Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” – Rumi

look at me now

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A bold and confident work, inspired by a Swiss violist’s t-shirt.

THAT

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While rehearsing a very very different piece called “This” in another ensemble, an insistent swinging little groove came into my head and wouldn’t leave. That groove became the basis for “THAT.” For the full experience, check out the “THAT” DELUXE Package, which includes sheet music, studio recording, backing tracks, an instructional video, AND Jon’s personal […]

The Midway Blues

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If someone ever made a sitcom or reality show about the Improbable Beasts bass clarinet ensemble, this is what the theme song might sound like… For the full experience, check out the Midway Blues DELUXE Package, which includes sheet music, studio recording, backing tracks, an instructional video, AND Jon’s personal altissimo fingering chart.

A Hymn to 45

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Commissioned by Nakedeye Ensemble for pianist Ju-Ping Song as part of the Soloing2020 project. Composed in a white heat of rage during the summer of 2020. Dedicated to all of the Enablers. We see you. We won’t forget you.

Shadows in the Starlight

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Commissioned for the collection “Lyrical Flute Encores” by Karen North (ed.), an exciting new repertoire book for intermediate level Flute & Piano. 18 exclusive commissioned works by contemporary composers from around the world, each bringing their unique perspective to the lyrical and expressive qualities of the flute. From haunting melodies to playful rhythms, the music […]

Bullfrog’s Love Chant (unrequited)

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“Bullfrog’s Love Chant (unrequited)” tells the story of a bullfrog emerging from the depths of a swamp, looking for love. He struts his stuff, showing off his agility, his romantic spirit, his dance moves, and his deep, deep voice. But it is to no avail. Finally, resigned, he slinks back down into the mud from […]

On G

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For any number of low clarinets

Bass Clarinet Double Concerto: bass clarinet choir version

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My basic idea for the Bass Clarinet Double Concerto was of Weber’s clarinet concertos meeting heavy metal. I am intimately familiar with both genres, through extensively practicing the Weber concertos in high school, and performing heavy metal bass clarinet tunes as a member of the Edmund Welles bass clarinet quartet. When it came to writing […]

We Are Broken

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PROGRAM NOTE: All of us are broken in some way. Life just does that to you. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a professional setback, or even that bully in 4th grade whose confidence-shrinking taunts still linger inside you. We all have parts that are stunted, twisted, broken. […]

Still Here

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PROGRAM NOTE: It’s the evening of February 25th, 2022. In the darkness, a grainy 30-second selfie video of five men on the streets of Kiev: “Good evening to all” says the gravelly voice of the man in front, holding the phone. “The leader of the bloc is here. The head of the President’s office is […]

Rowdy Red (The Strutting Ferret)

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After a string of Very Serious Compositions on topics like sorrow, the year 2020, and the war in Ukraine, I needed to let loose with something a bit more fun and whimsical. “Rowdy Red (The Strutting Ferret)” is the result. The title comes from the character of the music: there is something very confident, even […]

Nomad Concerto

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Program note: Humans evolved as nomads: hunter-gatherers following the seasonal migrations of animals. Yet today, nomadism is a distant memory for most of us, a concept both marginalized and romanticized by our society. Actual nomadic cultures have become rare, and they almost always exist on the margins of the states that contain them, often mistrusted […]