"Alexander's Ragtime Band" is the name of a song by Irving Berlin. It was his first major hit, in 1911. There is some evidence, although inconclusive, that Berlin borrowed the melody from a draft of "A Real Slow Drag" submitted by Scott Joplin that had been submitted to a publisher.

This version for trombone quartet is a very common jazz-oriented recital piece, and contains a variety for jazz styles, from ragtime to dixieland to full-on big band swing. We had a lot of fun playing this one, and hope you enjoy it too!

Dave Ellis, Logan Kingston, Jesse Sylvester, trombone; Will Gamache, bass trombone.

Alexander's Ragtime Band- CSU Trombone Quartet- Irving Berlin

The Gaelic Sonata was composed for Adam Frey in late 2002.  Premiered in February 2003, the composer says the following about the work:
“Folk song has proved a rich seam from which generations of composers have mined lustrous gems.  Perhaps no source sparkles with quite the gleaming brilliance of Gaelic melody.  The Gaelic Sonata is in three standard movements: sonata-allegro, song form, and rondo.

The sonata also tells a story of sorts:
I - A Youth, possessed of restless dreams of accomplishment, purposes to seek Adventure Afar, despite the admonitions of Age and Experience and the entreaties of the girl next door (who secretly loves him dearly).
II - He leaves nonetheless, only to discover that “adventure” includes spells of loneliness, doubt, and regret –even in the midst of boisterous comrades.
III - With mind and heart improved, the enlightened youth returns to find that much his heart had sought elsewhere was in truth waiting for him at home.

Gaelic Sonata Movement I- W.J. Gamache-Duncan MacMillan

A huge standard of trombone literature, Morceau was written as a contest piece for the Paris Conservatory. It is a common standard of early 20th-century trombone literature, and is a popular choice for many undergraduate players. This piece is very near and dear to my heart because I used this piece to audition for CSU's music school in 2007. This recording comes from my senior recital in April 2011.

Morceau Symphonique- W.J. Gamache- Alexandre Guilmant

This is a piece by Maurice Ravel, originally written for voice. It has since been arranged many times. As a matter of fact, I am actually reading a bassoon transcription. It is a piece that is not common for the euphonium, as it is standard literature for vocal etudes. This was the opening piece at my April 8th, 2011 recital. Please enjoy!

Piece en forme de Habanera- W.J. Gamache- Maurice Ravel

Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, strongly polyphonic character, and considerable length. To get a little less cerebral, his writing was also really just plain awesome, and fits the trombone quartet very well. Enjoy!
David Ellis, trombone; Logan Kingston, trombone; Jesse Sylvester, trombone; William Gamache, bass trombone.

Christus factus est- CSU Trombone Quartet- Anton Bruckner

This piece was written in 1967 as an orchestral overture for the Washington National Symphony and was premiered by that group under Howard Mitchell a year later at Constitution Hall. Its immediate success then and on tour occasioned the collaboration between Makris and Albert Bader of the U.S. Air Force Band to arrange the overture as a concert piece for band. From its first hammering dotted eighth rhythms, Aegean Festival Overture reflects the Greek origins of its composer, who was born in Salonika, a colorful Aegean seaport. The driving energy of the fast section with its restless 5’s and 7’s and the lyric plaintiveness of the contrasting middle section, all molded into a symphonic form, epitomize the musical style of Makris Ñ a blend of classic form and Greek folkloristic elements.

Aegean Festival- CSU Wind Ensemble- Andreas Makris

Maslanka began the composition process for Symphony No. 8 with meditation and was shown scenes of widespread devastation, but the music is a celebration of life — new life, continuity from the past to the future, hope, faith, joy, ecstatic vision and fierce determination.
This recording is in three parts due to size of the original files.

Symphony No. 8 (Part I)- CSU Wind Ensemble- David Maslanka

This is CSU's rendition of CSU jazz faculty and saxophonist Wil Swindler's Restive Aria. Performed at our November 2011 concert, it features Scott Webber on trumpet and Ben Strauss on alto.

Restive Aria- CSU Jazz Ensemble I- Wil Swindler

Aaron Copland, famous for works such as Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, and Billy the Kid, was a very prolific American composer with a very unique "American" sound. The open, slowly changing harmonies of many of his works are archetypical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast American landscape and pioneer spirit.
This piece is the finale from "The Tender Land". English horn solo, Amy Wilson; euphonium solo, William Gamache. Conducted by Christopher Krueger.

The Promise of Living- CSU Wind Ensemble- Aaron Copland

Maria Schneider formed The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra in 1993, appearing weekly at Visiones in Greenwich Village for five years. Her orchestra has also performed at many jazz festivals and toured Europe.
This is her tune Gumba Blue, a happenin' tune with a pretty killer bassline. John Gray, trumpet; Ben Strauss, alto; Ben Strauss, piccolo; Dan Smith, bass; Nathan Wilson, bari; Will Gamache, bass trombone. Peter Sommer, director. Please enjoy!

Gumba Blue- CSU Jazz Ensemble I- Maria Schneider

Too Many Trombones trombone choir playing with Harry Watters on January 9th, 2012.

Flight of the Bumblebee- Harry Watters and Too Many Trombones- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Mr. William Gamache currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, and is currently completing bachelor's degrees in music education and music performance at Colorado State University, which he will complete in May 2012. Mr. Gamache has studied euphonium with Adam Frey, Dr. Robert Brewer, Dr. Miller Asbill, and Missy Steinbock, bass trombone with Greg Harper and Jeff Craig, conducting with Dr. J. Steven Moore and Dr. Miller Asbill, and jazz with Wil Swindler, Peter Sommer, Missy Steinbock, and Mark Manges.

As a performing musician, Mr. Gamache is currently a member of the Fort Collins Wind Symphony on bass trombone, the Denver-based trombone choir Too Many Trombones and a euphoniumist with the Loveland Concert Band. Mr. Gamache's past performing ensembles include the Fort Collins Wind Symphony on euphonium, the Rocky Mountain Summer Music Camp Faculty Big Band, the DNA Brass Band, the Colorado State University Jazz Ensemble I, the Western State College Brass Band, bass trombonist in the Colorado State University Symphony Orchestra, and principal euphoniumist in the Colorado State University Wind Ensemble. As a chamber musician, Mr. Gamache has performed with the CSU trombone quartet and the CSU tuba quartet, as well as local Dixieland jazz combos. 

Mr. Gamache maintains an extensive low brass studio in the northern Colorado area, where he enjoys teaching trombone, euphonium, and tuba to students of all ages and abilities.

William J. Gamache

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