SKU: PR.114419080

ISBN 9781491114216. UPC: 680160671595. 9 x 12 inches.

Composing for Boston Music Viva on a Fromm Foundation grant, Melinda Wagner drewinspiration from an astounding video of an industrious little pufferfish and his sand artistry.Working 24 hours a day, he carves out a beautiful medallion of swirls and ridges, in the hopeof attracting a sweetheart. Wagner has written, “I was so moved by the careful preparation,determination, patience, and artistry of this little fish, who has no guarantees of finding true love.The phenomenon reminded me very much of the act of composing – of creating something outof nothing, with few guarantees.”.
Several years ago, a friend shared the most marvelous video with me. In it, an industrious little puffer fish begins to prepare an elaborate work of artistry – his “etchings” – in hopes of attracting a sweetheart. Using only his fins, he prepares the “canvas” (the sandy ocean floor), and for the next week, working 24 hours a day, he carves a beautiful medallion of swirls and ridges. Shell pieces and pebbles are collected to adorn the masterpiece. And he waits.I was so moved by the careful preparation, determination, patience, and artistry of this little fish who has no guarantees of finding true love. The phenomenon reminded me very much of the act of composing – of creating something out of nothing with few guarantees. Rather than attempting to capture any action programmatically, I tried instead to express, in the abstract, the sense of anticipation, lovelorn hopefulness – and the optimism of a tiny, unsung hero. [The puffer fish is a member of the Chordata phylum.]-Melinda WagnerAugust 2018.

SKU: AP.40483S

UPC: 038081456386. English.

Feature your magnificent violas in this Western-flavored section feature that will give your unsung heroes a chance to show off a variety of playing styles. The piece is divided into three distinct parts---a heroic opening theme, a rousing and flashy fiddle melody, and a beautifully flowing legato section. Easy to put together and fun for every section, this is a wonderful way to introduce your audience (and the rest of your string orchestra) to the wide variety of timbres this too-often neglected instrument can achieve. Great for recruiting concerts! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

SKU: HL.369515

ISBN 9780876392232. UPC: 840126991932. 9.0x12.0x0.438 inches.

Terri Lyne Carrington, Founder and Artistic Director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, has curated a wide range of jazz compositions written by women composers, from obscure to popular, historic to current, blues to bebop, and beyond in this important collection. These compositions are supplementary and alternatives to the “jazz standard” canon that has served students, teachers and professionals throughout the development of jazz music. The compositions span nearly a century, including Lil Hardin Armstrong's work from 1922 to songs written in 2021 by recent Institute graduates. It features 101 compositions from a remarkable range of acknowledged titans, young visionaries and unsung heroes in jazz: Mary Lou Williams, Alice Coltrane, esperanza spalding, Geri Allen, Maria Schneider, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Dorothy Ashby, Nubya Garcia, Nicole Mitchell and many others. The book includes a 1922 piece by the influential Lil Hardin Armstrong and songs written in 2021 by emerging artists from Carrington's Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. New Standards also celebrates the global world of jazz, from Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana to Japanese American pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and other international composers.