Premiere Performance/Recording by the Julius Quartet

Two Vignettes for String Quartet (2021) consists of two distinct, programmatic movements. The first movement "Memories Lost" dives into the mind of an individual suffering from dementia, gradually losing the memories they cherish the most. It begins with a still, barren landscape, as if a memory has already begun to fade. The first violin then provides the main thematic material while the remaining three voices ominously haunt from below. After an emotional climax, the movement ends where it began, with faded memories. The second movement "Demon Dance" is an aggressive, angular, rapid-fire dance drawing inspiration from the second movement of Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8. Constantly spinning between unison and syncopated rhythms, and jagged, virtuosic passages passed between the four voices, "Demon Dance" is a continuous burst of deranged energy.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p13/Two_Vignettes_for_String_Quartet_%282021%29.html

Copyright © 2021 Ian Lester

Two Vignettes for String Quartet

World Premiere performance by the Troubled Euphs

EXTRAORDINARY TUNNELS is a three-movement work for euphonium trio that was inspired by three European tunnels that traverse through gorgeous landscapes and scenery:
I.	The Gotthard Base Tunnel (Switzerland): With a route length of 35.5 miles, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is the world’s longest railway tunnel. The Gotthard Base Tunnel runs through the Swiss Alps. This magnitude and beauty of the Alps is conveyed through exciting and angular melodic and rhythmic material, mixed meter, and metric modulation.
II.	Halnaker Tree Tunnel (England): While only 1.5 miles long, the Halnaker Tree Tunnel (Mill Lane) in West Sussex, England is a footpath that has sunken down over the years, leading the surrounding lines of trees to curve over the path. The resulting scenery looks like it came right out of a fairy tale. Dreamy textures and melodies and polyrhythms portray the magic of this tunnel.
III.	Combe Laval (France): Combe Laval is an 18.56-mile-long road with a series of tunnels carved into the cliffs of the French Alps tucked away in Southeastern France. An energetic, polyrhythmic introduction leads into heroic solo passages and a driving finale.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p28/EXTRAORDINARY_TUNNELS_%282023%29_-_for_Euphonium_Trio.html

Copyright © 2023 Ian Lester

Extraordinary Tunnels - for euphonium trio

Performance by the Troubled Euphs

Against All Odds was written for the Troubled Euphs euphonium trio in late 2022. The work was inspired by the many cases throughout history of people surviving the seemingly un-survivable. Two specific instances that came to mind were the separate stories of Kamel Abdel Rahman and Phineas Gage. Both were impaled through the head in horrific accidents yet survived against all odds.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p32/Against_All_Odds_%282022%29-_for_Euphonium_Trio.html

Copyright © 2023 Ian Lester

Against All Odds - for euphonium trio

Performance by the Troubled Euphs

A setting for three euphoniums of the Gorgeous Irish folk song of the same title. In this arrangement, the main melody gets passed around between the three performers before increasing in speed and intensity with a British Brass Band-inspired "Joyous" development section. The piece ends with an ethereal restatement of the main melody.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p33/Carrickfergus_%282022%29_-_Arranged_for_Euphonium_Trio.html

Copyright © 2023 Ian Lester

Carrickfergus - arranged for euphonium trio

Recording by Brendan Ige on the CD "Carnival of the Animals: A Dichotomy of Music" available on Brendan's Bandcamp site and all major music streaming platforms.

HOG WILD! was commissioned by Brendan Ige in the Summer of 2022. The objective of the commission was to create a virtuosic, flashy piece for Brendan that pushed the limits of what is possible on the tuba. HOG WILD! is meant to be comedic, mocking virtuosity for the sake of virtuosity. HOG WILD! requires highly advanced range, flexibility, technical abilities, dynamic and tempo control, constant attention to articulation, meter, and rhythm, and the ability to execute several different types of extended techniques. Given the difficult nature of the piece, the tonal centers are kept in relatively “easy” keys.

Sheet Music Available Here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p20/HOG_WILD%21_%282022%29_-_for_Solo_Tuba.html

Copyright © 2022 Ian Lester

"Carnival of the Animals: A Dichotomy of Music" on Brendan's Bandcamp: https://brendanige.bandcamp.com/album/carnival-of-the-animals-a-dichotomy-of-music

℗ 2023 Brendan Ige

HOG WILD! - for solo tuba

Premiere recording by Brent Mead.
Recording engineer/mixing/mastering by Ben Baker 

S0c1AL was written in 2022 for Brent Mead as part of his grant-based project to commission several new works for trombone that all were to relate to issues, disorders, and traumas that many people face. The project is aimed towards younger people in an effort to show through music that these negativities in life can be dealt with and managed in a healthy way, and more importantly, to show that there are others who have faced similar obstacles; you are not alone. S0c1AL deals with the topic of social anxiety, a type of anxiety disorder, that many people, including myself, struggle with to some extent. Social anxiety is persistent and makes it difficult to do things such as meet new people, develop new relationships, and attend social gatherings. Furthermore, someone with social anxiety may fear that they are being judged by others and feel helpless to control these feelings. S0c1AL is a through-composed work that consists of three main thematic sections:

I. There are Almost 8 Billion People on This Planet, yet I Feel so Alone: This first section portrays the constant pendulum of emotions associated with social anxiety. One is fearful of being around others, yet simultaneously yearns for friendship. This inner conflict is represented frequent shifting between “bright” and “dark” melodic and harmonic structures in both the solo trombone part and the backing track. Optional pedals used: Reverb, Octave, and Delay.

II. Risk with a Side of Self-doubt: This movement represents the anxiety, fear, and questions that arise when approaching someone new: “What should I say? What if they think I’m weird? Do I make small talk?” Optional pedals used: Overdrive and Chorus.

III. Free: Finally, this optimistic movement represents the relief and weight off the shoulders when one successfully makes a new friend. Optional pedals used: Reverb.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p34/S0c1AL_-_for_trombone%2C_fixed_media%2C_and_optional_guitar_pedals.html

Copyright © 2022 Ian Lester

S0c1AL - for trombone, fixed media, and optional guitar pedals

**Winner of the 2023 North Texas I.T.E.A. Composition Competition**

Recording by Justin Weis (euphonium), Blake Lile (tuba), and Shin-Yuan Chang (piano).

In Scottish, Northern English, and Manx folklore, the First-foot is the first person to enter one’s household on New Year’s Day and is seen as a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. First-foot was inspired by this tradition which is still practiced in Scotland, the Isle of Man, and various parts of Northern England. I appropriately began composing this piece on New Year’s Day of 2023 after stumbling across the Wikipedia page on First-footing through one of my favorite Instagram accounts, Depths of Wikipedia. I immediately knew that this work should be optimistic and exciting, reflective of my own feelings beginning the new year. Written in an ABCA form, First-foot begins with a grooving, celebratory piano motive in the right hand before being joined by an even groovier, syncopated bass line melody in the left hand. These two initial statements are the musical foundation for the entire work. The tuba and euphonium soon enter with interlocking melodic material, with each instrument taking turns having the lead and emerging from the chaotic texture. A reflective and quieter B section follows, as if one is reminiscing on the highs and lows of the previous year. An anxious, metrically unstable C section follows, with almost every measure switching meter. This segment represents the widely-known feeling of anxiety when realizing there might be financial, personal, work related, or other issues still unresolved from the previous year. However, the piece ends with a recapitulation of the optimistic A section (with slight alterations and changes), which represents setting New Year’s resolutions and improving oneself.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p36/First-foot_%282023%29_-_for_euphonium%2C_tuba%2C_and_piano.html 

Copyright © 2023 Ian Lester

First-foot

My performance of Mesto, the second movement from Tom Davoren's Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Orchestra, accompanied by the Benedictine College Wind Ensemble, conducted by Tom Davoren. 

Notes from the composer:

"The second movement, Mesto, takes inspiration from the emotional character of the movement of the same name in the Third Symphony of James Barnes. The melody is shaped from vague modality...drawn from the found in Latin American popular music."

Concerto for Euphonium, ii. Mesto - Tom Davoren (Ian Lester, Benedictine College Wind Ensemble

My performance of Ritmico, the third movement from Tom Davoren's Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Orchestra, accompanied by the Benedictine College Wind Ensemble, conducted by Tom Davoren. 

Notes from the composer:

"The third movement, Ritmico, is a rondo-like, concerto finale. As is typical of the genre it is virtuosic and in compound time, but recalls previous material as an apotheosis."

Concerto for Euphonium, iii. Ritmico  - Tom Davoren (Ian Lester, Benedictine College Wind Ensemble

NIGHT GLOW is a Grade 3 work for wind ensemble commissioned in the Fall of 2023 by Dr. Joe Parisi and the Roeland Park New Horizons Band and was premiered on their Holiday concert in December of the same year. NIGHT GLOW takes inspiration from the idea of fusing together two separate songs that come from different holidays and religions: The classic Christmas carol “Silent Night” and the liturgical Jewish hymn “Ma'oz Tzur”. Both works are significant to their respective holiday and religion, and I felt that using “Silent Night” and “Ma'oz Tzur” in a wind ensemble setting could provide a meaningful and enjoyable piece for bands to perform, especially on holiday concerts. NIGHT GLOW begins with a gentle slow section, containing subtle references to “Silent Night”. The main thematic material passes from the woodwinds to the low brass, who along with timpani and bell-toning higher brass, gradually build in dynamics as more instruments continue to enter the texture. After a climactic fortissimo chord, a flowing tenor saxophone solo leads into a celebratory fast section containing references to “Ma'oz Tzur”. After a lyrical clarinet solo and a chorale-like trombone soli that begins to call back to “Silent Night”, the piece ends with a joyful finale that features sections and fragments of both “Silent Night” and “Ma'oz Tzur” being played simultaneously throughout the band.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p40/NIGHT_GLOW_%282023%29_for_Wind_Ensemble.html

NIGHT GLOW

Ubi Caritas--Paul Mealor

A native Michigander whose music has been described as "high energy", "innovative" and "very thoughtful and concise" (International Tuba and Euphonium Association), Dr. Ian Lester (b. 1994) is an award-winning composer, euphonium player, and teacher holding a Doctorate degree in euphonium performance and Master’s degree in composition from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he also previously received his Master's degree in euphonium performance. Ian received his Bachelor’s degree in euphonium performance and pursued additional composition studies at Oakland University in Michigan. Ian’s works have been performed and recorded by soloists, chamber ensembles, wind bands, and brass bands at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Fort Myer, and many universities and recital halls around the world. Notable achievements include winning the 2016 U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Composition Competition, receiving the 2018 Oakland University's Outstanding Student in Composition award, winning the 2018 North Texas Euphonium Quartet Composition Competition, the 2021 Mirari Brass Quintet Call for Scores, and the 2022 UMKC Composition Competition, being selected to attend the 2021 Julius String Quartet EMERGE Solstice Composition Workshop, along with winning both the inaugural 2023 North Texas I.T.E.A. Chapter Composition Competition and the 2023 I.T.E.A. R. Winston Morris Award for excellence in tuba/euphonium ensemble composition.

Two Vignettes for String Quartet

Ian Lester

Related tracks