DMA audition large ensemble piece - Electric Guitar or Two Saxophones?

So, I am thinking about writing a large ensemble work, probably somewhat lengthy, for the following instrumentation:

1 Flute (Alto Flute)

1 Clarinet (Bass Clarinet)

1 Bassoon

1 Horn

1 Trombone

1 Tuba

1 Piano

1 Percussion

**and** either 1 Electric Guitar, or 1 Alto Sax & 1 Tenor Sax.

I want to make it somewhat accessible, and I have a buddy that is a conducting MM student who I would write it for. He is of the opinion that I should write it so it could be performed by any good level wind band's section leaders.

However, recently I have been listening to works by Davidovsky, Ligeti, Carter, George Benjamin, etc. and would like to do something that is sort of a cross between band music and these composers.

I myself am a Masters student in composition and would be writing this specifically to use as a doctoral application portfolio piece. I played electric (and classical) guitar for 8 years, but I understand that the practicality for performance would be much better if I write it for two saxes.

Alternatively, I could limit the electric guitar part to two voices that could be substituted by the two saxes, but then am I defeating the purpose of writing for these instruments, as neither version will be truly idiomatic???

Thoughts???

Actually, I think an electric guitar would be a very nice addition to this set, as with its sound and technique it fits well somewhere between the winds and the piano/percussion group. And it can blend in very well with most instruments (especially winds), because of its almost sine-tone like sound, if played without distortion. Of course, saxes would also fit in well, as a bridge between the woodwinds and the brass (together with the horn, but at the same time very different than the horn), but personally, I'd still prefer the guitar, for the additional possibilities this offers. There aren't too few people who play the electric guitar, so I don't think it will matter that much for performance practicability.

What I'm wondering about is the extreme focus on the low register. I'm sure that's deliberate, but personally I'd be a bit afraid of it getting a bit too muddy and certain instruments being drowned out (alto flute). I'd still consider using higher versions of flute and maybe also clarinet. (Leaving out the "obvious" trumpet is fine by me). Or maybe (since instruments like the bass clarinet are of course very cool to have), expand it to two flutes and two clarinets, one low, one higher. But I guess, that's just because I'm influenced by other music I know for similar ensembles (stuff by Var

Thanks for the response, I completely agree. I should have clarified, with the (Alto Flute) and (Bass Clarinet) in parentheses I meant that they would be doubling with those instruments. There will be several movements most likely, or at least time for them to switch back and forth from Flute in C and Clarinet in B-flat.

If you use electric guitar, why NOT use effects? As tasteless as they can be, you can certainly make them tasteful.

Yeah, well I was thinking that I wanted a slightly overdriven tube sound, not terribly distorted but certainly saturated. Possibly a volume pedal, or at least a guitar with knobs that are easily accessible. Considering some reverb and possibly delay, would probably try to keep it minimal though.

Any thoughts on pros and cons of writing a guitar part that could be performed by two saxes???

i don't know if this one is a really large ensamble... yes if you think about rock bands, this is a larger ensamble....

i'm a bit traditional, but usually if i have to write something for a big ensamble, i use something like this

Piccolo

2 Flutes,

2 Oboes,

1 Core Anglais

2 Clarinets

1 Bass Clarinets

2 Bassons

4 Horns

4 Trumpets

4 Trombones

Percussions I-II-III

2 Electric Guitars

Electric Bass

3 Keyboards

3 Vocals in the orchestra Pit

Violins I

Violins II

Violas

Cellos

Doublebasses

i've used this ensamble also for pop-rock stuff...

or, if you want to have a minus number of musicians and a larger possibility of instruments, you can use the classical broadway orchestra, like this

REED I Flute/Clarinets/Saxophones

REED II Oboe/Core Anglais

REED III Flute/Clarinets/Saxophones

REED IV Flutes/Clarinets/Saxophones

REED V Basson

1 Horn

2 Trumpets

1 Trombone

Percussions I-II

Guitar/Mandoli/Electric Guitar

Keyboard I

Keyboard II

Keyboard III/CONDUCTOR

Double Bass/Electric Bass

the last one is very usefull... if you want you can add also a quintet of strings, for example 3 violins and 2 cellos, that's not bad..

Well, it is certainly not a large ensemble in that sense, but for a chamber group, 9-10 musicians is pretty large. The idea is that if a wind ensemble would perform it, it would just be section leaders.

I think that as it will be more technically challenging and I will have to compose and arrange a performance in the next 8 months, keeping it relatively small is best.

Thanks for the feedback though. I have written for Wind Ensemble and am having a work performed by the Tad Wind Symphony in Tokyo on June 11 and released on their 7th CD installation.

oh, wow... that's great, guy... i mean, the Tokio Orchestra... such a great thing...

oh, well, if it's for a chamber orchestra, yes, it's big...

You have a great luck, no one would to performe my music, i mean, the music i make on my own outside the ambience of the conservatory where i study experimental composition... i would like to write a smash hit broadway musical, but here in italy, in our very traditional schools, if you tell around that you have written such a thing they look at you as a monster...

even if i pray in different ways and different gods, the conservatory orchestra will never perform one of my pieces, one of my songs, one of my overtures...

Well, the best thing you can do is start networking and find people who won't look at you like a monster for writing musicals! Try to get in touch with other composers and performers that are interested in performing your music, don't just limit yourself to the conservatory if that is what you are passionate about!