Todos Perdidos: A Composition for Big Band

In American Jazz, the Big Band has remained an omnipresent musical voice: an 18-piece ensemble originating in the 1930s that traditionally plays big band arrangements and adaptations of songs for the ensemble’s... [ view full abstract ]

In American Jazz, the Big Band has remained an omnipresent musical voice: an 18-piece ensemble originating in the 1930s that traditionally plays big band arrangements and adaptations of songs for the ensemble’s orchestration, often of jazz standards (Wriggle 2016). This winter and spring I both composed and arranged original tune for Big Band. The arrangement, titled "Todos Perdidos” is a vocal feature for female voice. In this presentation, I will outline and explain my influences, methodological approaches for composing and arranging, and takeaways from the process. I will first provide a general history of and context for big band arrangement, highlighting prominent arrangers and composers and those from which I drew inspiration and arranging techniques/approaches. I will then talk about my process of writing and arranging: what steps I took and in what order, and what theoretical tools I used to arrange the tune. I will conclude by highlighting key takeaways from the process as an artist: What did I learn about my own process? How does the artist shape the process and how does the process shape the artist? How would I reproach the project? This presentation ultimately aims to introduce the style of Big Band music and give a glimpse into the mind of the composer as a theorist, artist, and individual. The Middlebury Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble will perform the composition at their Spring 2018 concert.