**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

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.

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