03 Sketches For Band

Recording of a film score project for the Buster Keaton movie 
"Steamboat Bill Jr."

This short piece is meant to turn a scene of the slapstick comedy into a horror parody by the means of extended techniques, the use of mutes, or non-traditional bows on the instruments.

Live performance by Tatjiana Muroski, viola
Steven Vought, Trumpet
Jeremy Vigil, Piano
Johnathan Lockwood, Upright Bass

Steamboat Bill Dies Take 2

Composed May 2014, this piece for solo piano is a quick and simple rag from a set of five piano works.  The Ennuyant, a play on French standing for annoying, is based on a fairly traditional rag form and employs some traditional tonality.  The piece, however, should be taken with some sarcasm as suggested by the cadences and an unintentional quote to Beethoven.
-E.F


"The Ennuyant" from Piano Set

Perspectives of a Man 
Performance by Jack Sumrall III, voice
Paula Bekker, flute and piccolo

All rights reserved by the composer

Program Note:
Rare in poetry, Stephen Crane’s (1871-1900) poems are often very short in form and contain either an extremely abstract or clear commentary. To lengthen the unfolding of Crane’s structures, I have chosen to add in lengthy solos and repeat certain portions of the text in a way that I believe does not damage the overall comprehension of the text. While the three poems chosen for this cycle are not grouped together by Crane, the musical gestures and material throughout is all derived from the flute solo in the first fourteen measures. The first song is structured with a slow and fast section, representing a conflict between the narrator and a man. Slowing down further but building in intensity, the second song contains extensive solo voice and piccolo parts which, upon an uncertain resolution lead to the fastest third song featuring a challenging vocal cadence. While all three songs need not be sung in succession,the unity of material and narrative will be better understood with a complete performance.

There Was A Man

Places Among The Stars

Pursuing The Horizon

Erik Ferguson is currently studying composition at Stetson University in DeLand, FL under the guidance of Manuel DeMurga and Sydney Hodkinson.  Erik began composing through the help of MIDI software in 2008 and created some primitive compositions.  Now several years later, Erik has mercifully improved from that starting point as he attempts to become a better composer.  
Recently composed works include "A Spectre's Tale" for mixed quartet, "Steamboat Bill Dies" a film score, and "The Ennuyant".  Erik works on organ, piano, and trombone, and studies Music Theory passively in addition to composition.

Biking, tennis, hiking, and video games are also favorite hobbies of Erik.



Erik A. Ferguson

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