Cacti | four-part guitar ensemble by Frank A. Wallace

About Cacti – six pieces for guitar ensemble

I. Teddy Bear Cholla
II. Organ Pipe
III. Purple Prickly Pear
IV. Nightblooming Cereus
V. Beavertail
VI. King Saguaro

Cacti for guitar ensemble was written as a joint commission for Arizona State University Phoenix, Glendale Community College, and Arizona School of the Arts. The three ensembles joined forces on April 7, 2018 to give the debut of the work under the direction of conductor Charles Hulihan. I am grateful to my long time colleague and friend Frank Koonce, my new friend Chuck Hulihan, and even newer friend Joshua Pierce. All three have a great commitment to the arts, to the guitar, to their students, to the concept of guitar ensemble as teaching tool and method and, most gratifying for me, a deep understanding of the need for new music in the life of our community. Thanks guys!

My Roots Emerge Again

I was born in Texas, but left early and have few memories. However, I do remember several trips from California to Texas, passing through the land of cacti, canyons and rattle snakes. So Cacti is a homage to my southwestern roots and those memorable trips I took as a child to return to my birth home. I wrote the work in the fall of 2017 and was grateful to my three colleagues mentioned above for having me as a guest to teach, coach and perform at their institutions in late November.  At that time I got to discuss the score with Chuck who would later conduct the debut performance. He is an energetic, dedicated and extremely knowledgeable professor and conductor. It was a great pleasure to work with all the students and their professors.

Copyright ©2017 Frank A. Wallace
Cover photography and design by Nancy Knowles
All rights reserved.