Uprising (rev. 2018)
for wind ensemble featuring improvised drum set
Duration: 8 minutes
Piccolo – 2 Flute – Oboe – English Horn (opt.) – 2 Clarinet in Bb – Bass Clarinet – 2 Bassoon – Contrabassoon (opt.) – 2 Alto sax – Tenor Sax – Baritone Sax – 2 Horn in F – 3 Trumpet in Bb – Flugelhorn (or Trumpet 4) – 2 Trombone – Bass Trombone – Euphonium – Tuba – Timpani – Drum Set (feature) – Percussion 1 (triangle, suspended cymbal, temple blocks) – Percussion 2 (bass drum, large gong, medium gong) – Vibraphone – Piano – Electric bass (or double bass)
The West coast premiere of Uprising (rev. 2018) will be May 2018 by the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble under the direction of Chris Chapman.
Uprising (rev. 2018) was originally written for the Eastman Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mark Scatterday and premiered October 2012. A second performance featured drummer Tom Giampietro and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Wind Ensemble under the direction of James Patrick Miller in March 2013. It was a 2015 finalist of The American Prize.
Please email info@jenniferbellor.com for more information on purchasing score/parts.
Bordello Nights (2016)
for wind ensemble featuring jazz band (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, electric guitar, electric bass, and drums)
UNLV Wind Orchestra under the direction of Tom Leslie featuring:
Eric Marienthal, alto saxophone
Colin Gordon, soprano saxophone
Mitch Forman, piano
Kevin Axt, electric bass
Bernie Dresel, drums
Finalist, 2016 The American Prize
Fanfare magazine praised it as being a “terrific piece of big-band jazz.”
In Bordello Nights, the tango-like rhythms throughout juxtaposed with the ensemble of jazz improvisers intertwined with a dark, film noir-like fabric paints a historical picture of the types of music that were often performed in bordellos in the early twentieth century.
According to The History Of Jazz by Ted Gioia, New Orleans jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton (1840-1941) was hired to perform in these venues, which held a substantial place in the music business in the early 20th century: “More than any other major New Orleans jazz artist, Morton’s apprenticeship in the music business took place largely in the bordellos of Storyville (although Morton worked mainly in the white bordellos where few other jazz players could follow)…His great-grandmother expelled him from home when she learned of his activities in the District, and before long Morton started on the peripatetic freelancing that would occupy most of his life.” – Gioia, The History of Jazz
The composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) composed tango music for the concert hall with the mission to bring tango from bordellos to other venues. For example, his composition Histoire du Tango, specifically his first movement titled “Bordello, 1900,” brings to the concert hall music that was associated with bordellos in Buenos Aires.
Bordello Nights was commissioned by Tom Leslie and the UNLV Wind Orchestra for premiere March 10, 2016 at UNLV featuring Eric Marienthal (alto saxophone), Colin Gordon (soprano saxophone), Mitch Forman (piano), Kevin Axt (electric bass), and Bernie Dresel (drums).
Duration: approximately 18 minutes
PDF Conductor Score: $60
A shortened version of Bordello Nights was composed for the UNLV Wind Orchestra performance at the Festival des Anches d’Azur in la Croix Valmer, France June 26, 2016:
Duration: 8 minutes
PDF Conductor Score: $30
To purchase parts, email info@jenniferbellor.com.
Electric Vortex (2013)
for wind ensemble featuring a jazz combo (alto sax, tenor sax or trombone; electric guitar; electric bass; drums)
This is a live recording from the performance by the Eastman Wind Ensemble under the direction of conductor Jared Chase.
Electric Vortex(2013) was written for consortium of 10 ensembles. I enjoy writing music for both jazz and classical musicians, and many of my compositions over the last three years have showcased these musicians performing together. When conductor Jared Chase approached me summer 2012 about writing a piece for both the Eastman Wind Orchestra and the Nazareth Wind Symphony to perform, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to write a piece for wind ensemble featuring the local jazz band, Bending and Breaking led by drummer Aaron Staebell. I envisioned writing a wind ensemble piece featuring Aaron’s band ever since he premiered my composition Uprising (2012) with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Bending and Breaking features: Wills McKenna, tenor saxophone; Wendy Eisenberg, electric guitar; Matt Krol, electric bass; and Aaron Staebell, drums.Additional members who performed with Bending and Breaking for the Nazareth College premiere were: Jake Wark, tenor saxophone; Matt Bevan-Perkins, vibraphone; and Tori Valente, congas. I wrote Electric Vortex to showcase this collaboration. Inspired by powerful images I found online of an electric vortex, I envisioned the improvisation group to be the ‘eye’ in this powerful whirlwind.
score and recording featuring tenor sax
Duration: 7 minutes
PDF Conductor Score: $20
To purchase parts, email info@jenniferbellor.com.
Electric Vortex was also performed at California State University East Bay featuring Mitch Butler on trombone.
Score featuring trombone:
Duration: 7 minutes
PDF Conductor Score: $20
To purchase parts, email info@jenniferbellor.com.
Featuring alto sax:
Duration: 7 minutes
PDF Conductor Score: $20
To purchase parts, email info@jenniferbellor.com.