Mr. Smith’s Composition
The one that started it all!
Mr. Smith's Composition takes the audience on a hilarious and educational romp into the mind of Mr. Smith as he composes.
Included in the journey are the many decisions a composer makes. There is also a bout of writer’s block and even a composer's nightmare. The solution for Mr. Smith’s issues is to invoke the refrain: “so I decided to write what I felt in my heart.” The audience is drawn into the process by helping to choose the final ending by following their hearts as well.
The narration is in the third person, but capable narrators are encouraged to perform the work as the actual composer in the first person. This further enhancement gives the audience the meaningful experience of hearing and seeing a real-live composer.
Instrumentation: 3(pic),2(3 opt.),2(3 opt.),(3 opt.) - 4,3,3,1 - Timp +2, Harp, Strings, Narrator.
Timing: 21 minutes.
Commissioned and premiered by Marin Alsop with the Eugene Symphony, Mr. Smith's Composition is the first of Gregory Smith’s works for family and educational concerts. When it arrived in 1990, it ushered in a fresh approach to family-educational concert programming.
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