Sammy Nestico Award

I just mailed off my submission for this year's Sammy Nestico Award, a big-band composition competition put on by the US Air Force Airmen of Note big band in Washington, D.C. The winner has his/her work performed at the 2011 Jazz Heritage Series in D.C. and is flown out to attend, with a possibility of a second comission.

I submitted a chart called "Enigmatism" that I wrote for the CSU Northridge "A" Band, during the 2007-08 school year. It is probably my most complex (and therefore difficult) piece for big-band so far, with themes revolving around 9-beat and 7-beat cycles, dense harmonies, woodwind doubles, and even a little bit of group improvisation. I'm proud of this piece and it's ability to go a few different places while staying connected to itself.

The CSUN "A" Band only ended up performing it once, with drum faculty Dick Weller sitting in, as well as the great Brian Kilgore deriving an amazing percussion part from the drumset chart. Soloists are Will Wulfeck (tbn) and Phil Fiorio (tpt), with Erick Jovel on lead trumpet.

Luckily, the performance was recorded. You can listen to it HERE.

Wish me luck in the competition!