Gordon Cherry has been running Cherry Classics for over 20 years. He is a leading professional Trombonist in North America, having performed as Principal Trombonist of the Vancouver Symphony, and the CBC Radio Orchestra. As well, Gordon has taught hundreds of Brass students for over 30 years at the University of British Columbia and many international leading music festivals.Details
Being, for Trombone and Vibraphone by Matt Lennex is a new work with a unique instrumentation that works really well. This 4-minute work is suitable for advanced performers and would be a great addition to a special recital. Below are notes about this very fine work by the composer.
Being, for Trombone and Vibraphone, was composed and premiered in 2022 as part of collaboration with my dancer/choreographer wife, Robyn Tye-Lennex. A dance ensemble gave her the opportunity to choreograph and perform a solo piece and also encouraged the use of original music. It was the opportunity we had been waiting for - I could compose, she could choreograph, and we could share the stage and perform together. We drew inspiration from an exhibition of works by American painter Agnes Pelton that we had previously seen, in particular her 1926 work titled "Being". I thought the metallic sound of the vibraphone would work well with my concept for the piece and started writing down ideas. As the outline of the piece started to take shape, my wife quickly realized the piece was going to be way too long for a solo dancer. We agreed to keep it to 4 minutes, and the result could be considered a fantasia, or fantasy piece, with the vibraphone performing repetitive rhythmic and harmonic patterns that the trombone plays melodic lines over. Our friend, Thomas Murphy, helped me edit the vibraphone part and performed the premier of the piece.