"Excursions" was composed by Gregory Fritze in 2010 on a commission from the Spanish Brass Luur Metals. This recording is by the Spanish Brass Luur Metals with the Banda Municipal of Bilbao conducted by Rafael Sanz-Espert. It is published by Spanish Brass Luur Metals publishing.

Excursions

Antonio Cambres Rodriguez, Trumpet Soloist and the CIM La Armonica Band of Buñol (Valencia), Spain, David Fiuza, Conductor. Recorded December 7, 2015.
“Year of the Trumpeter” (El Año del Trompetista) was composed in 2010 as an homage to four friends of mine who played trumpet and passed away in 2009.  
Fred Mills played trumpet with the Canadian Brass for 24 years. I met him when I performed with Harvey Phillips and his Tuba Consort when we joined the Canadian Brass in a Christmas concert at Carnegie Hall. I arranged a piccolo descant trumpet part for Fred that he played with the tuba group. 
Linares Rodriguez was a member of the La Armonica Band of Buñol. After he retired from playing, he became the manager for the society’s buildings. When I first lived in Buñol in 1996 we became good friends and sometimes took walking excursions together. 
Bill Maloof was my first boss as he was Chair of Composition during my first ten years as a faculty member at Berklee. 
Nedo Pandolfi was considered a great musical force in Rhode Island. His last concert with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra in 1983 was my first performance with the orchestra. At that time he played French Horn but his original instrument was trumpet. 
The piece was premiered March 8, 2014 by Antonio Cambres and the CIM La Armonica, David Fiuza, Conductor.  Trumpet soloist Antonio Cambres Rodriguez is the Principal Trumpet of the Municipal Band of Madrid, Spain’s most prestigious professional symphonic band He was born in Buñol and is a member of the CIM La Armonica Band. Notes by composer Gregory Fritze

Year of the Trumpeter

"Trombonico – Moods for Trombone with Concert Band" is in three movements:
I. Swashbuckling, Singing, Caribbean, Bebop
II. Remembering Miller and Dorsey
III. Mischievously, With Swagger
It was composed in 2015 at the request of Inda Bonete, festival coordinator, for performance at the International Trombone Festival in Valencia, Spain. It was premiered July 9, 2015 by Scott Hartman as trombone soloist with the Banda Villanueva de Castellon, Beatriz Fernandez, Conductor. When I talked with Scott about composing a piece for him, he suggested that the piece be an homage to some of the early great jazz trombonists. In the first movement are the indications Swashbuckling, Singing, Caribbean and Bebop and are tributes to my jazz trombone colleagues with whom I had the pleasure of working for thirty-six years at Berklee College of Music. They include Phil Wilson, Rick Stepton, Toni Lada, Jeff Galindo, Bob Pilkington, David Lindsey and many others. The second movement is a jazz ballad entitled Miller and Dorsey. The third movement is dedicated to my high school band director Wayne Nottle who was an important mentor of mine and is also a fine trombonist. 
Trombone Soloist Scott Hartman teaches trombone at the Yale School of Music, was the trombonist in the Empire Brass Quintet and has performed as a soloist worldwide.
This piece is on the CD recording "Gregory Fritze Music for Wind Orchestra" on the La Armonica label and is available on CD Baby and ITunes.

Trombonico – Moods for Trombone with Concert Band

"Concertino for Euphonium and Concert Band" was composed on a commission from the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" in 1995.
It was premiered at the US Army Tuba Conference in January of 1996 by soloist Bob Powers and the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" conducted by Col. Shelburn. This recording was made by Powers and the La Filharmonica Alcudiana Band, conducted by Rafael Sanz-Espert on May 22, 1999 in Alcudia, Spain.
Bob Powers was a Master Sergeant in the US Army and was the Principal Euphoniumist with the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own".

Concertino For Euphonium And Band

"Uluru" is a composition for four euphoniums, four tubas and two percussionists. It was composed in 2001 for the International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Lahti, Finland, commissioned  by Mary Ann Craig. The Premiere performance was in August 2001 by the conference All Star Tuba Euphonium Ensemble, Craig conducting. The title suggests the mysterious Uluru rock formation in Australia which was thought by the Aborigines  to have mystical powers. This recording was done in 2007 in Indiana, Pennsylvania in 2007 organized by Gary Bird. The piece is available on the CD "Tuba Safari" featuring tubist Gary Bird and Friends playing compositions by Gregory Fritze that feature the tuba.

Tuba Safari

Uluru

"Concertino for Tuba and Orchestra" was composed by Gregory Fritze in 2004 on a commission from the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra for performance May 2005. The orchestra premiered it under the direction of Istvan Jaray with Gary Bird, tuba soloist. The piece was adapted from the earlier composition "Concertino for Euphonium and Band" that was composed in 1995 for Euphonium Soloist Bob Powers and the United States Army Band. This recording features the Oak Grove Symphony Orchestra of Pennsylvania, Jack Stamp conducting and Bird as soloist. This recording session took place in Indiana, Pennsylvania May 2006 with a grant from the Harvey Phillips Foundation. Recording and mastering was done by Complex One Studios of Indiana, PA. This recording is available on Albany Records Troy 1175.

Concertino for Tuba and Orchestra

"Con-Tse-To" is a concerto for Alto Saxophone and Concert Band composed by Gregory Fritze in 2013 especially for the world renowned saxophonist Kenneth Tse. This recording is of the Macau Wind Orchestra.

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Con-Tse-To

"Magallón: instrumento de civilizaciones" is a programmatic depiction of the town of Magallón, Spain highlighting seven of the historic points through the town’s existence. The programmatic time period of more than two-thousand years starting in the town’s early beginnings before the conquest of the Roman Empire to the present day.
The first section presents melody that is the “theme of Magallón” which is taken from a religious chant from long ago in the town. It is played by the solo oboe, which is this instrument portrayed as the soul of the town throughout the piece. The solo oboe is soon joined with supportive harmonies, showing the growth of the town with a supporting community of people. 
The second section “March of the Romans” depicts the Roman occupation of Magallón during their extension into the Iberia. 
The third section presents “Song of Father Lorenzo” who was a mid seventeenth Century a priest who was considered the heart and soul of the town and is thought of as giving an important foundation to the town during this time. The solo oboe plays this.
The forth section depicts the coming of Nepolean’s army to Magallón in the beginning of the 1800’s. The heat of battle is presented in this section.
The fifth section presents the 19th Century melody “La Olivera” an important religious hymn that is still sung in Magallón today.
The sixth section presents Magallón in an active modern society. The 7/8 meter shows the seven day a week activity and prosperity.
The seventh and last section shows the combination of modern society with old traditions. The brass instruments play the traditional “La Olivera” chorale while the woodwinds present that rapid flow of modern life in counterpoint at the same time.
This recording is from the performance at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, the Netherlands by the Symphonic Band of Magallón, Spain July 30, 2009. Sixteen bands from around the word competed in 2009 and Magallón won First Prize with this composition.

Magallón Instrumento De Civilizaciones

Bass Trombone Soloist Gabe Langfur performs "Continental Concerto" with the Boston University Wind Ensemble conducted by David Martins. Composed by Gregory Fritze in 2017, this was the North American Premiere.

Continental Concerto Mvt 1

Pico del Teide is programmatic as it depicts a person climbing through the different sections of the Teide mountain. It won First Prize in the II Concurso Bienal de Composición de Música para Banda “Ciudad de Santa Cruz de Tenerife”, Spain. Pico del Teide was written to feature the orchestral differences and colors in the symphonic band. There are several featured soloists throughout the piece, especially a long extended solo for alto saxophone. The piece also uses several textural variations showing several sections of chamber music. 
Pico del Teide is often selected as a contest piece when bands compete, especially in Spain.
It was recorded December 5, 2015 in Buñol (Valencia) Spain, by the La Armonica Banda Sinfónica, conducted by David Fiuza

Pico del Teide

Gregory Fritze

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