I’ve had some recently surprising interest in one of the first pieces I ever composed. My Clarinet Serenade was written way back in 2002, when I was just a lowly sophomore in high school. I remember going into the band room early in the mornings when everybody else was out on the field practicing that year’s marching show. One of the senior clarinet girls (who was crazy good, amazingly smart, beautiful, and also not in marching band… a quadruple threat in my book) was also there, warming up, getting in some extra practice time before 1st hour symphonic band. So one morning, having never talked to her before, I interrupted her practice and nervously asked if she would mind reading this piece for me. Come to think of it, this was the very first piece I had ever heard any live musicians play — a “first time” if you will — and that is certainly a special moment in a composer’s life.

The original version of the piece is in concert C# minor — which of course transposes to an unforgiving D# minor on the Bb Clarinet. So while I sick last week, I decided to renotate the work and, at the click of a button, transpose it down a half-step into good-ol’ concert C minor which looks a lot more friendly on clarinet.

I think I may end up self-publishing the piece for $20 a copy. I figure it might be a cool choice for solo & ensemble competitions or clarinet recitals if anybody else digs it. For now, you can listen to a recording (from 2002 in C# minor) and view the clarinet part (new PDf).

Oh, and if you like what you hear/see, contact me!