Composition List- Trevor Bumgarner

Trevor Bumgarner Composer/Arranger and Bassoonist 1211a West Friendly Ave (828) 455-‐6396 Greensboro, NC 27403 [email protected]

www.Trevorbumgarner.com Composition List (with program notes) Gods Particle For Chamber Singers, SSAATTBB (Winter-‐ 2012)

The “God Particle” or Higgs Boson is the hypothetical elementary particle that gives all atoms mass. It is the only missing variable in the equation that explains the creation of the universe. Scientists are coming ever closer to discovering this particle, solving the unknown. This piece illustrates the creation as a result of the God Particle, all music expanding from one single event. I merge both sacred and secular text all dealing with the concept of creation. The majority of the work utilizes patterns each using one descriptive word. Words come and go simultaneously forming a constellation of sound. Text is borrowed from the Bible, Palestrina’s Credo, Greek philosopher Democritus, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. I use these texts, forming them together into my own creation, emerging from a sole source-‐ the God Particle. Reboot Club For Brass Trio Duration: 6 minutes Commissioned by the North Carolina Brass Trio When I was first asked to write a brass trio, I was hesitant to accept. If it weren’t for the virtuosity of the performers in the group, I wouldn’t of imagined composition a piece for this instrumentation. There were virtually no model pieces, mostly arrangements of hymns, marches, and paired down orchestral literature. The one sole piece that stands atop the repertoire is the Poulenc Brass Trio. In typical Poulenc fashion, it references folk music of the past adapting it for the current time. I aim to literally contrast that. I take the folk music of the future and adapt it for the current time. In the future, all buildings are made from the same model called “Reboot.” “The Reboot is designed to be entirely self-‐sufficient, with energy collecting solar paint, wind turbines and a rainwater collection system that could provide a little hydroelectric boost as well as a bit of water for the house. Tossing a variety of different renewable energy options together is a popular option in modern design, both conceptually and in practice.” This piece is club music found at these locations. Front Porch Prelude For String Quartet Duration: 4 mins In fulfillment for Highscore music festival


www.Trevorbumgarner.com

I had to compose a string quartet for the HighSCORE Music Festival. I had been mulling over several concepts, but they were taking a considerable amount of planning and thought. I was running out of time and I knew I could not serve the concepts proper justice. With nearly a week left I was desperate for inspiration.

Frustrated, I took a break and sat on my front porch and found my inspiration right next to me. My neighbors were all sitting on their porch jamming, testing out their amateur guitar skills. It was a conglomeration of random solos, unrelated harmonies, and fast changing irregular accompaniment rhythms. Un-‐phased by this, they were having the time of their lives. LED

For Sax Quartet (2011)

Technology is advancing at alarming speeds. There are around 5 billion cellular phones and 1.4 million cellular stations that transfer data around the world. These stations only run at five percent efficiency to transfer radio waves, which are unsecured and can be tampered with. This is extremely inefficient and science is responding. Radio waves are on the electromagnetic spectrum along with visible light. In the future, data can be transmitted by this illumination, ten thousand times more data at 100 percent efficiency, using LED lights already installed. This piece is musical data transferred by illumination. Piano Concerto Mvt. 1 For Solo Piano and Mixed Large Chamber Ensemble (2011) Composed for the UNCG Contemporary Chamber Players

This Concerto was originally composed for the UNCG Contemporary Chamber Players Ensemble. It is a collaborative group of varied instrumentation and performance skill, from non-‐music majors to D.M.A. performance majors. Regardless of potential instrumentation combinations, everyone who is a member of the ensemble has a part in this work. Musically I evoke several aspects from previous piano concertos to give the less experienced performers a familiar setting, while providing my own flare and difficulty to the more experienced performers. I would like to thank my pianist Sally Renee Todd, for whom the work was originally composed. Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (2010) This sonata was my first composition and was a fun way to build technique and musicality in all ranges on the bassoon. It is intended to improve skill from advanced high school students to professionals. This sonatas general story is based on a child's dream. Actual details of the dream are not certain.


www.Trevorbumgarner.com Upcoming Works Unconscious Resonance (exp. 2013) For Piano Quintet Brief Description-‐

A common inspiration for art is dreams. I decided to attempt this myself but wanted a different approach that a representing the mood or events within a dream. I decided to represent the physical manifestation of the actual "mental image." One theory states that dreams come from relaxed signals the brain sends to itself. The generated oscillation makes spontaneous resonance patterns to occur, implying that dreams are a simple consequence of this neural oscillation. This piece is a musical result of this unconscious resonance.

Event Horizon For Wind Ensemble (exp. 2013) Duration 10-‐12’ Brief Description-‐ Like many other musicians, the first group I ever played in was a wind band. I still play in one today. I continue my fascination with science and space in this work. The Event Horizon is the outer ring of a black hole. It is both beautiful and chaotic. This work will be a fast paced journey to the inside of a black hole. Life and Transfiguration For Orchestra (exp. 2013) Duration 13-‐15’

Over the past century, all of the arts sought to push their artistic esthetic to the extreme. Horrors of World Wars, genocides, and famines led towards dark and anguished expression. Science was advancing and art followed suit, using complex procedures. Things are not as bad as they used to be these days. One of the first pieces I played with an orchestra was Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration. The work is a story of a man on his deathbed, looking back over his life and regrets. The ending is the man transcending to the great beyond in a jubilatory fashion. This work looks back at how life was before and ascends above. In Life and Transfiguration, I take a different approach. Why must we wait until the end of life to celebrate and look back? This work starts at the beginning of life and


www.Trevorbumgarner.com looks forward to the unknown. It knows of the pains of the early century but ascends forth into the bright future.

Composition List- Trevor Bumgarner

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