Abstract Summary/Description
I have created a wind band transcription of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s 1909 orchestral work Othello Suite. The Othello Suite is a five-movement work comprising incidental music for the Shakespeare play of the same name. A transcription is defined as a unique piece of music in which the notes, rhythms, and other elements of the music have been transferred from one performance medium to another. For example, one could make a transcription for orchestra of a piece originally written for cello and piano. Composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was born in England in 1875 and died in 1912. His music has historically been underperformed due to his African heritage. There is an ongoing movement in classical music to share the music of such overlooked composers, which often includes creating updated versions of their works for the ensembles of today. By creating and performing this transcription, I am part of this movement which is amplifying the voices of minority composers. Additionally, Coleridge-Taylor did not write any original works for winds, so this piece provides the opportunity for a wider array of musicians to perform and study the music of this magnificent composer.
