Composed and conducted by Kyle McInnis. Premiered in Fulkerson Recital Hall at Humboldt State University on April 1st, 2016.
From the program:
Variations on a Theme by the Wu-Tang Clan
I – Tiger Style
II – Shaolin Style
III – Wu-Tang Style
Avery Alexander, Flute
Rebecca Ramos, Flute
Virginia Ryder, Clarinet
Marisa Finlayson, Clarinet
Geniva Hayden, Clarinet
Varak Bosnoian, Bass Clarinet
Richard Rios, Alto Saxophone
Sabrina Fisher, Alto Saxophone
Nicholas Zuniga, Baritone Saxophone
Michael Kibbe, Bassoon
Dominique Hausler, French Horn
Auston Tague, French Horn
Nina Pearl, Trumpet
Charles McClung, Trumpet
Richard Macey III, Euphonium
Craig Hull, Trombone
Corey Tamondong, Bass Trombone
Bret Johnson, Tuba
Wesley Singleton, Percussion
Tyler Burkhart, Percussion
Michael Fabian, Percussion
Eric Tolfa, Percussion
The inspiration for this piece comes from a multitude of musical influences both old and new. The form upon which the piece is constructed is hundreds of years old, but the thematic material is far more modern. It all started as a crazy idea back in October, when I was searching for a new large ensemble composition to start. I had quickly settled on a Symphonic Band instrumentation, and knew that I wanted to create something in the same style as Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance, but with more accessible source material. After racking my brain for a while, I realized that I had all the source material I needed in my hip hop records. Months of frenzied transcribing, sketching, and orchestrating has all culminated in this set of continuous variations.