SUSTAINING POWER writing for winds

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The day I walked into San Francisco Conservatory of Music, I was challenged to become a melodist, to think beyond the guitar. That’s a fancy way of saying that I was forced to take voice lessons in order to make it through sight-singing class – yes, my voice was that bad. I was extremely shy in high school and had never dared sing and mostly mumbled in public (and, of course, with my parents!)

By the end of college I was singing with Jon Bailey in the Cantata Singers, a semi-professional choir housed at the Conservatory. Jon was a true inspiration and that changed my life! Moving to Boston on graduation, I joined the Quadrivium and eventually formed the LiveOak Consort which featured a mix of voices and instruments. I have continued that mix to this day, though it has become focused on the creation of art song with guitar. So most of my melodic self has gone into this creative process, regularly working with winds or strings as well, but always in the context of guitar ensemble. Lurking in my mind has been the desire to write for larger ensembles of sustained instruments or voices. In September this year I finally took the time to “arrange” The Bells for wind quintet. I say “arranged,” but it feels more like a realization of what is already on the page. It was a fairly straight-forward process. It is such glory to hear a five note guitar chord have the sustaining power of five sets of lungs and the implied voice leading be clearly heard by the distinctive voices of wood and metallic wind instruments.

Listen to the Finale Garritan Personal Orchestra version of the pieces, see sample pages of the score or watch me play one of the guitar versions on the product page on this site: The Bells for winds

I am looking for a wind quintet to give the debut performance. Any ideas or contacts would be greatly appreciated.

–  Frank Wallace