CONCERTO SCION

for

Solo Clarinet & Wind Ensemble

Kevin M. Walczyk

Grade 5 | Duration: 22'

Concerto Scion was composed for clarinetist Joseph LeBlanc of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and commissioned by a consortium of 18 university wind ensembles led by Dr. Paul Popiel and the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble. The work's title, which can be defined as progeny, child, descendant, heir, or grafted, was selected since the two primary building blocks for the work's pitch materials are derived from the names of the composer's two adopted children - Gabriel and Sophia. The work musically captures the incessant energy, creativity, and capricious nature of these two children.

The opening movement, Rhapsody, is an abstract presentation of the pitch materials generated from the children's names. The opening three-note motive, which comes from Sophia's name, is present throughout all three movements and, along with the "Gabriel" and "Sophia" pitch matrices, serve as the concerto's unifying factor. The pitches associated with Sophia's name also lend themselves to the large-scale tonal centers of the seven-part form in the Rhapsody. The second movement obtains its title, Reverie, from the fanciful musings and absent-minded daydreams that represent impractical notions that can only be born from the mind of a child. The solo clarinet represents these visions through two disparate musical ideas: a simple, lyrical melody alternating with multiple-sonority sections. These latter sections, which feature the soloist performing multiple notes simultaneously, lose their sense of focus on all musical fronts in order to obtain a meditative, daydream-like quality. The third movement is entitled Xtoles, which is a children's folk song of Mayan descent, speaks to the anticipation of the sun returning to mark the beginning of spring. This particular folk song was selected since Gabriel is of Mayan lineage and the energy and momentum of the melody can almost keep up with the energy and momentum of Gabriel and Sophia! The world premiere of Concerto Scion took place in Chiayi City, Taiwan as part of the 2011 World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) conference and was performed by the Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville) Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. John Bell with clarinet soloist Dr. James M. Hinson.

Stephanie Zelnick, Clarinet

University of Kansas Wind Ensemble, Paul Popiel, conductor

1. Rhapsody

2. Reverie

3. Xtoles

PERFORMANCE CONSORTIUM

Keveli Music formed a performer consortium for Concerto Scion and acknowledges those clarinet soloists, and their respective institutions, for participating in this performance consortium that brought Concerto Scion to life.

The composer gratefully acknowledges Dr. Paul Popiel, Director of bands at the University of Kansas, and Dr. Dahn Pham, Director of Bands, McMurry University, for initiating this consortium commissioning project, and for their steadfast support, wisdom, and encouragement during the compositional process! A very special acknowledgement to clarinetist, Joseph LeBlanc of the President’s Own United States Marine Band, for his patience, expertise, and advice in preparing the solo clarinet work!

STEPHANIE ZELNICK
LEAD CONSORTIUM: University of Kansas Wind Ensemble, Paul W. Popiel, conductor

RICHARD SHANLEY
Baylor University, Eric Wilson, conductor

JILL STEWART
Blinn College, Harry Blake, conductor

KIMBERLY COLE-LUEVANO
Eastern Michigan University, Mary K. Schneider, conductor

TOD KERSTETTER
Kansas State University, Frank Tracz, conductor

JILL HANES
Lakeland College, Russell Pettitt, conductor

DUNJA JENNINGS
Lewis & Clark College, Brett Paschal & David Becker, conductors

JOSEPH LeBLANC
McMurry University, Danh Pham, conductor

RICHARD YEAGER
Missouri Western State University, Jeffrey Hinton, conductor

CAROL ROBE
Oregon State University, Christopher Chapman, conductor

SHARRON HOWARD
Purdue University, Jay Gephart, conductor

JAMES M. HINSON
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, John Bell, conductor

JEANENE IOPPOLO JOHNSON
Tarleton State University, Anthony Pursell, conductor

MARGUERITE LEVIN
Towson University, Dana Rothlisberger, conductor

JOSEPH ELLER
University of South Carolina, Scott Weiss, conductor

KAREN BENDA
Washburn University, Mark Norman, conductor

KAREN DANNESSA
West Chester University, Andrew Yozviak, conductor

CINDI BARTELS
Western Oregon University, James “Ike” Nail, conductor

GUNNERY SERGEANT JOSEPH LeBLANC

Clarinetist Gunnery Sergeant Joseph LeBlanc of Honolulu, Hawaii, joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in September 2005. Gunnery Sgt. LeBlanc began his musical instruction at age 10 on saxophone and switched to clarinet at 19. After graduating in 1999 from Moanalua High School in Honolulu, he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music in 2003. He also pursued graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He studied with Donald Sinta and Fred Ormand of U-M, Cincinnati Symphony principal clarinet Richard Hawley, and Allen Won of New York.

Prior to joining “The President’s Own,” he performed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Ohio and the Honolulu and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.

Gunnery Sgt. LeBlanc performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour. In 2012, he performed Carlo della Giacoma’s Fantasy on Themes from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana with the Marine Band.

WIND ENSEMBLE INSTRUMENTATION

Concerto Scion is a grade 5 work. It is suitable for most advanced high school wind ensembles, and collegiate wind ensembles.

solo clarinet
flutes 1-3 – 3rd doubles piccolo
oboes 1-2 – 2nd doubles English horn
clarinets 1-3
bass clarinet
contra-alto clarinet
alto saxophones 1-2
tenor saxophone
baritone saxophone
bassoons 1-2
horns 1-4
trumpets 1-3
trombones 1-3 – 3rd is bass trombone
euphonium – B.C. & T.C.
tuba
timpani
percussion 1 – vibraphone, xylophone & triangle
percussion 2 – marimba, suspended cymbal, glockenspiel & 2 suspended gongs (med. small & medium)
percussion 3 – chimes, glockenspiel, 2 bongos, bell tree, bass drum, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals & sleigh bells
percussion 4 – tam-tam, triangle, suspended cymbal, bass drum, ride cymbal & tambourine
harp
string bass