Minor Groove for Concert Band

Minor Groove was commissioned by Mr. Doug Smelser, the band director at Herculaneum High School, in Herculaneum, Missouri. I like to write music especially suited to each band program that commissions me, so I took advantage of the particularly strong euphonium players and horn players in his band. Both instruments are featured prominently in this composition. Likewise, the opening timpani solo reflects the strong timpani player I heard in his band while doing clinic work there in 2021, the Spring prior to the completion of the composition in early 2022. Minor Groove makes extensive use of the 2-3 clave rhythm, which occurs throughout the piece. It is fun and funky, in a word."groovy".