Steven Bryant

SHORT VERSION: I'm arranging The Automatic Earth for full symphony orchestra and electronics! The Durham Medical Orchestra is leading a consortium for this new version. Premiere: December 15th, 2024. Buy-in cost: $500 Commissioners get score and parts in perpetuity. Exclusivity for commissioner performance is 1 year from premiere (until December, 2025). Instrumentation:...

10 years ago today Ecstatic Waters was premiered by the Bowling Green State University Wind Ensemble (Bruce Moss, conducting), followed a couple of days later by the UT Wind Ensemble (Jerry Junkin, conducting). Thank you to everyone who has played the piece over the past decade, and in the process put up with water glasses, Mahler hammers, audio interfaces, and subwoofers. Now, go vote!

I'm writing a new work for winds+electronics+lighting (but no live ducks). I want YOU to be a part of it - want to join us? $250 total cost. All the information: https://www.stevenbryant.com/cbdna-2019-asu-new-work-for-windselectronics [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.stevenbryant.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ASU-CBDNA-consortium-invitation-720p.mp4"][/video]

I just finished Zeal, a commission for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and will be on the road working with several ensembles this spring. If you're nearby any of these, come to the concert - would love to meet you! 2/28 - 3/2: IUP Fort Wayne, Indiana 4/1 - 4/2: University of Michigan 4/6-4/7: Detroit Symphony Orchestra - world premiere of Zeal - April 6th, 7th, Leonard Slatkin, conductor...

I wrote a concerto for Alto Sax and Wind Ensemble. (open http://www.concertoforaltosaxophone.com now if you want to listen while you read) It was inevitable - this was my instrument all through high school and undergrad., though now I only play very occasionally, usually in Austria with a community band there, and then only when there's beer involved (note: there's always beer involved in...

Last Fall, the Duke University Wind Symphony toured with Ecstatic Waters, and band member / Bari Sax player / chemist / IT guy Walt Martin built the hammer portion (the box was in others' hands). He documented the whole thing in detail here: http://waltmartin.com/building-a-mahler-hammer/ Anyone and everyone who's built a Mahler Hammer / Box for Ecstatic Waters - send me a photo / video if you...

[caption id="attachment_505" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Steven Bryant, Ron Bryant, Francis McBeth - April, 1994"][/caption] My mentor, first composition teacher, and friend, Dr. Francis McBeth passed away on Jan. 6th. He was a great teacher - funny, wise, sharp as a tack, with strong opinions on how music should sound.  Every note I've written in the past 21 years bears his...

In addition to composing a Cello Concerto for Caroline Stinson, Euphonium + electronics piece for Robert Benton, and a work for Jay Gephart and the Purdue University Wind Ensemble, I have a few guest appearances coming up: FEBRUARY 8-11 [San Antonio, TX]: TMEA - Texas State University Wind Ensemble performs Ecstatic Waters (2pm, Thurs.) 18-20 [Columbia, SC]: Univ. of South Carolina...

7:30 pm (Central), 10-27-2010 Audio stream: http://www.music.utexas.edu/calendar/details.aspx?id=14829 Video webcast: http://www.banddirector.com/article/banddirector-live-webcasts/live-webcast PDF scores and program notes, if you'd like to follow along: Concerto for Wind Ensemble (program note) Stampede (program note)

BCM will be on the radio this weekend. Full info below from the Wind&Rhythm website:

Episode 79: Rivers, Pools, Storms, and Fountains

A recent article in "Listen, Life with Classical Music" quoted a friend of mine, Mark Morette proclaiming his Roman Trilogy is the best band CD ever! I know and trust him and so we'll hear from him and from the album this week. Also we finally find a way to get all...

The first full episode of my new video series documenting the creation of my Concerto for Wind Ensemble. It covers the creation of mvt. II, including a look at how I compose in Digital Performer. More information about the piece, including a recording of the first movement (which is finished). [youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vxYHft2Xjz4?list=PL5B6601309A46F5BD"]

The blog takes a back seat...

Since I'm not particularly consistent at actual blogging, and in recent times posts have dwindled to simple "here's what I'm up to" (and not even that, in the last two months I've had two premieres and nary a word here!!), I've restructured the front page of my site to pull together my Twitter feed, upcoming performances, and a random photo from my Flickr page, and...