I'll Take B flat Phyrgian for $7,500, Alex...

May and June this year are the months when composition things for me are getting REAL REAL.

There's this little composition competition for a BIG ensemble going on right now... $7,500 on the line, NO entry fee. The catch: a certain number and type of compositions have to be made available to show the scope of my work. Orchestral pieces? I've got that in hand. Piano pieces? Too many to even be worried about. Singing, solo or choral? See previous answer.

What I don't have are many big band pieces. I've got one month from yesterday to either start from scratch or take something that already exists and re-arrange it.

Which brings us to the little number above, my "Phyrgian Stomp." As a piano piece, a little more practice and a borrowed grand piano, and it would be quite impressive in its own right. I COULD just stay in my main lane and polish it up. Easy.

Easy don't make $7,500 a pop, in most cases. If it were sheer improvisational power at the piano being judged, or just sheer composition ability, I'd let "Phyrgian Stomp" ride like the ride cymbal in bebop. BUT, this $7,500 is for a commission for an ensemble that combines band and orchestral elements. I think that the composer with the best chance of winning will have to show that they can handle those similar but very different elements equally well.

I know that I can. I just have a bunch of rust to knock off, a Negro Spiritual to finish, Mother's Day on the 12th, two songs to get arranged by May 17, a banquet, and some other odds and ends to deal with while deciding and then finishing and then polishing this thing, AND a whole 'nother grant to write by June 3.

Easy don't make $7,500. So, time to "stomp" this stuff on out...

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