Character Sketches

for solo clarinet

Cover image: Juan Lopez-Bonilla

Program Notes

This, along with a couple of song settings, is the earliest of my pieces that I am still interested in having performed (like many composers I have withdrawn most of my earlier efforts). It was written during my second year away from home at college, and is a musical depiction of several people I knew in high school.

Character Sketches was written for my friend, clarinetist John Wheeler, who I went to junior high and high school with, and with whom I made music many times in many different groups. Character Sketches was given its premiere by John Varineau at a concert of music by American composers at Michigan State University.

Originally I had put initials with the movements, and given brief verbal descriptions of the people involved, but I think at this point I will let the music speak for itself. Three of the pieces are fond reminiscences, and it won’t be hard to figure out which one is not.

Recorded by Dallas Tidwell, clarinet

Recorded 2007-09 at Margaret Comstock Concert Hall, University of Louisville. Produced by Roslyn Mattingly and Amanda Boyd. Engineered by Phil Stirgwolt, Tim Haertel, and Chris Jones.