Bushwhacked!
Commissioned by Pi Kappa Lambda
for a premiere at their 2006 national conference in San Antonio, Texas

link to mp3 recording:
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~phillipm/Bushwhacked-MemAud.mp3
recorded live in concert ... warning ... size is ca. 18 MB!

link to PDF version of score:
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~phillipm/Bushwhacked.pdf

parts available -- just email me.
performed by the
Ohio University Faculty Chamber Players


Alison Brown Sincoff, flute/piccolo
Donna Conaty, oboe
Matthew James, alto saxophone
Christopher Hayes, trombone
Jason Smith, tuba
Roger Braun, percussion
André Gribou, piano
Marjorie Bagley, violin
Michael Carrera, electric cello

Steven Huang, conductor

program note:
Bushwhacked! is not the musical equivalent of a late-night TV comedy bit or an Internet phenomenon of the same name involving creatively edited audio and video clips.  In fact, it is not even really about George Bush, nor does he have a starring role. Instead this composition is about me — or more specifically about my current state of outrage and frustration.  In other words, it is a work of musical therapy. Thanks in part to a lot of smart and funny people who apparently feel the same way, I have managed to retain a sense of humor (which I hope will be obvious). I am also profoundly indebted to the venerable tradition of American blues artists (especially the late, great Ray Charles and legions of musicians from the multicultural New Orleans tradition) who have demonstrated time and again that when you channel your outrage and frustration into your music and share it with your audience, you may discover a way to dance all over your troubles ... at least for a while.



MetroGnome
This score comes with it's own custom software metronome — a first for me!  This metronome only beats in two meters:  13/8 or 15/8 ... which are by far the most common meters used in the work.  Links for Mac and PC are listed below.  Performers are encouraged to use it when practicing their licks.

link for Mac users:
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~phillipm/MetroGnome.zip
(you might need to turn up your volume or plug in headphones for best effect.)



link for PC users:
http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~phillipm/MetroGnomePC.zip

PC users must use a multi-step process (sorry).

1) download the free "runtime" version of Max for Windows XP

http://www.cycling74.com/download/maxmspruntime457.zip

2) open my file with this application.