An American composer, Frank Ticheli, made arrangements to reach out to Hays High band students through a Zoom meeting on Thursday, Jan. 28 during PRIDE Time.

“We’ve had the opportunity to play works by several living composers recently,” band director Matt Rome said. “Hearing directly from the person who wrote it and getting their ideas for how the music should be interpreted is an invaluable experience. Music notation is inherently a bit flawed, in that, it can’t possibly communicate every detail a composer might want their performers to know.”

Ticheli’s main work is with concert bands, chamber groups, choruses and orchestras. According to his biography, his works have been published by the Encore Music, Hinshaw, Manhattan Beach and Southern publishing companies.

Ticheli’s music has been described as “optimistic and thoughtful” by the Los Angeles Times, “lean and muscular” by the New York Times, “brilliantly effective” by the Miami Herald and “powerful, deeply felt crafted with impressive flair and an ear for striking instrumental colors” by the South Florida Sun- Sentinel.

His concert band/wind ensemble works have been “Songs of Love and Life” for soprano and 18 players (2012), “Concerto for Clarinet and Concert Band” (2011), “San Antonio Dances” (2011), “Rest” (2011), etc.

“They now have an inside look at how much work goes into the creation of new music,” Rome said. “It’s a very involved process that takes quite a bit of time and collaboration between composer and performer. We’ve played some of his music before, so I think it helps the students better relate to him, knowing something about how he writes music.”

After speaking to the band students during PRIDE Time, there was a question-and-answer session between the students and Ticheli.

“Dr. Ticheli was very gracious and happy to answer questions from the ensemble, and the students had some really thoughtful insight to offer,” Rome said.

21avredenburg@usd489.com