Composer Frank Ticheli

This season’s theme celebrates the Georgia premiere of composer Frank Ticheli’s Blue Shades. Maestro Adrian Gnam and the MSO are excited to debut this exciting “hot” orchestral work during this our 32nd season.

The composer writes-

“Blue Shades is not, as the title might suggest, a Blues piece. There is not a single 12-bar blues progression, and, except for a few isolated sections indicated in the score, the eighth-note is not swung. The work is, however, heavily influenced by the Blues. “Blue notes” are used constantly. Blues harmonies, rhythms, and melodic idioms pervade the work, and many “shades of blue” are depicted, from bright blue, to dark, to dirty, to hot blue. At times, the work parodies some of the clichés from the Big Band era, not as a mockery of those conventions, but as a playful tribute to them. A quiet, slow middle section paints the atmosphere of a dark, smoky blues haunt. An extended clarinet solo, played near the end, recalls Benny Goodman’s hot playing style, and ushers in a series of “wailing” brass chords reflecting the train whistle effects commonly used during that era".

Blue Shades was originally composed for a consortium of 30 concert bands from throughout the U.S. At the request of Pacific Symphony Orchestra conductor, Carl St.Clair, Dr.Ticheli arranged the work for full orchestra. Its premiere performance was given by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in December of 1999 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.