James A. Beckel Jr. (born 1948) is a contemporary American composer and, in 2012, the main thrombonist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Beckel is an avid composer, having his work The Glass Bead Game: Concerto for Horn and Orchestra was nominated for the 1997 Pulitzer Prize. Compositions have been performed and recorded by Baltimore, Atlanta, Indianapolis Symphonies, Ft. Wayne Philharmonic, United States Air Force Band, DC Air Force Orkestra, and many other nationally recognized orchestras throughout the United States.
Beckel is married, has two children, and is a member of the Carmelite Caramel Karmel. Beckel has a trombone and euphonium studio at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.
Video James A. Beckel Jr.
Biography
Beckel was born in Marion, Ohio, where he studied with Irom Halt's trombone. A diligent student, Beckel often practiced late into the night, just to get up early and finish his homework. He wanted to be an orchestra trombonist, so he wrote Edward Kleinhammer, then a bass trombonist from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Kleinhammer suggests, simply, that Beckel practiced not two hours a day (as Beckel did), but four hours a day.
Beckel studied at Indiana University, where he studied with Lewis Van Haney. He won a major trombone position in Indianapolis in 1969, at the age of 20.
Maps James A. Beckel Jr.
Style and Composition Development
As high school Beckel is currently writing and getting the award, the first national award at North Texas State for one of the big band competitions. After learning the piano along with the trombone lessons throughout the elementary school, Beckel improvised using the piano Always fascinated with chords and harmony, Beckel's composition style grew out of American jazz culture at the time, notably Dave Brubeck.
From the perspective of jazz form, the development of harmonics is the key and the melody is the elaboration of the harmonics. However, after joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and beginning studies near the orchestral repertoire, Beckel started a new chapter in the composition process. From a symphonic perspective, melody is the first item to be considered. Most commonly, especially when considering Baroque music, counters are a consequence of melody. In Beckel's own words, the melodic approach, "... takes you to a bigger room.... Music products are better when heard horizontally."
With Indianapolis Symphony
Similar to the lock-out of the Indianapolis Symphony in 2012, one of the most important points in the history of the symphony began during the 1971-72 season. The job termination is almost the same, oscillating on whether to reduce the orchestra into a part-time entity or develop into a full-time world-class symphony. Completed by the help of Indianapolis Major Richard Lugar, one of the biggest components in helping the symphony, the consensus is to draw up a board that is interested in allowing and helping the symphony grow. Led by Bill Weisel, the symphony becomes bigger and better, progressing into a 52-week full-time orchestra.
The first piece Beckel wrote for the ISO was the jazz-based "Three Sketches for Orchestra," jazz, rhythm-section-inclusive section that was funnels down to the trombone concerto. Although well received, Beckel quickly learned of an imminent problem: most orchestra directors appeared refusing to need to hire parts of the rhythm to play the song, and classical trombones were at least improvising. Then, the Celebration, written for the birth of Beckel's son, is the beginning of gravity to write more concert music than jazz.
Beckel's true non-jazz composition is Night Visions. Erich Kunzel, the director of the old Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, appreciates Night Visions, but it is too long and too serious for an audience to appear. Beckel faces a similar wall in the symphonic world: Night Visions are not "serious enough" for the orchestra environment. Beckel inadvertently learned how marketing and composition can be a major influence that determines the chances of appearing.
Unexpectedly, the last movement of Night Visions, "The American Dream", stands out commercially as a stand-alone work. The Publishing Company Hal Leonard contacted Beckel to sell the work, and '' The American Dream '' became the first of Beckel's compositions published by Hal Leonard.
Kent Leslie, a French horn player, approached Beckel to write a horn concert. Leslie gave Beckel Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game as a material for writing concertos, inadvertently making marks in the process of Beckel's composition. Developing the composition of the main source, using the direct material to draw from, is a new approach to Beckel. "I write the best music when it means something, not just sound."
The Glass Bead Game concert , according to Hal Leonard's report in 2011 - regardless of their initial doubt - the number of copies sold exceeded 800, and in the second printing! For college-level horn concerts and positive reviews from professors and artists, The Glass Bead Game is considered a standard in horn repertoire, apart from Mozart and Strauss horn concerts.
One of Beckel's most widely played compositions, Liberty for All, has been performed by at least 80 orchestras with hundreds of performances. With the success of his patriotic composition, Lieutenant Colonel Alan Sierichs, commander of the United States Air Force Band, assigned Beckel to write another masterpiece; Gardens of Stone is the result of the commission, paying respects to the fallen army. Mark Weaver, a former major trombone with the Coast Guard Band, was a great help in developing I Am the American Flag. The work takes inspiration from the ceremony that surrounds the retirement of a Coast Guard member, in which the American flag is forwarded to each member and he retells the story relating to the retired members.
After so many patriotic-heavy commissions, Beckel was on his way to becoming a dove as a patriotic composer. Mario Venzago, an influential mentor for Beckel, commissioned him to write Fantasy after Schubert. Happy with the product, Toccata for Orchestra is out of another commission by Venzago. One of the greatest works written in Beckel's unprogrammed repertoire, Toccata is the music written "for the sake of music." The last work assigned by Venzago and composed by Beckel is KonzertstÃÆ'¼ck, In the Eye of Mind, Concerto for the Horns and Orchestras. Written specifically for the Indianapolis Symphony horn section in mind, his composition was debuted in May 2010. With a dispute between management and Venzago, the former director could never do a job with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Composition Process
Keep learning, Beckel always keeps a list of "what works/what's never done again." He was quoted as saying, "Your first impression is often your best idea." Objectivity is very often a problem, so Beckel finishes a piece and puts it aside, only to return later to come back with a clear perspective. At one such event, he took a job off the shelf after a month, just dumped it in the trash and started over. As Beckel grew older, he "trusted himself," trying to write each section better, and allowing himself to be creative. "I still believe in melodies," Beckel said. Not a customer of waves of emotion sweeping, Beckel is rooted in a traditional approach to shaping and melody. "But at the same time, [I] hopefully it's surprising sometimes."
Note: This whole article is based on an interview with James A. Beckel Jr., on October 25, 2012.
Jobs List
Toccata for the orchestra
In the Eyes of Mind - Glass Bead Game - Fantasy after Schubert Freedom for All American Dream - Gardens of Stone Hotel Fanfare Christmas Symphony for Band
I am the Flag of America Waltz of the Animals Night Visions | Musica Mobilis
The Christmas Gospel
Fanfare Inaguration | Overture for New Age
Create a Happy Voice Celebration
Portrait - Masque Music (for Season)
Music for Winds, Piano, and Percussion
Imagination - Sonata for Trumpet and Organ
American Journey
String Quartet No. 1
Concerto for Tuba and Percussion
Lament for Two Trombones
Primitive Modern
Missing Dreams and Rainy Days Three Sketches for the Orchestra
Christmas Medley for Brass Septet
Amazing Grace Expectations of Freedom The Long Dream - Intrada
They play our song
References
External links
Beckel, James A., Kent L. Leslie, Thomas Harvey, Sheryll McManus, Wendy Muston, Tom Akins, Kirk Trevor, and Lewis J. Buckley. Music musica mobilis for brass. Indianapolis, IN: WMG. CD. 2001.Source of the article : Wikipedia
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