News
SINFONIETTA Reissued
May 17, 2012
SINFONIETTA, the 1972 American Bandmasters Association "Ostwald Award" winner, has been reissued by Alfred Music Publishers and is available from their Rental Library. SINFONIETTA was commissioned by the Butler University Wind Ensemble and was the third "Ostwald Award" winner that Jager won.
ABA Performance
Apr 28, 2012
Jager's 1971 composition for symphonic band, SINFONIETTA, was performed on March 3, at the 2012 convention of the American Bandmasters Association by the Butler University Wind Ensemble under the direction of Rodney Winther - Director of Wind Studies (Ret) at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. SINFONIETTA was commissioned by Butler University in 1971, and in 1972 was the recipient of the ABA's "Ostwald Award", which marked the third time Jager had received the award, and making him the only three-time winner of this prestigious award.
String Orchestra Work Premiered
Mar 16, 2012
OF THINGS REMEMBERED, a three-movement composition for string orchestra was premiered on March 10, 2012 by the Adrian (MI) Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Thomas Dodson. See the "Reviews" section of this site for more details.
Three Scenes from Penn's Woods
Mar 7, 2012
THREE SCENES FROM PENN'S WOODS, a new grade 3-4 composition for concert band has just been released by Edward B. Marks/Hal Leonard. Commissioned by the junior high and middle school band directors of Pennsylvania's North Penn, Pennridge, Quakertown Community and Souderton Area school districts for the 2011 Bux-Mont Honors Band, the work was premiered in January, 2010 with the composer conducting.
The work is a three-movement suite which takes its name from the English translation of "Pennsylvania". The three movements are titled: Punxsutawny Phil, Moravian Hymn Variants, and Independence Hall.
New CD of Concerto for Tuba
Mar 1, 2012
Oystein Baadsvik, internationally known tuba soloist from Norway, has recorded Jager's CONCERTO FOR BASS TUBA on the BIS Records label with the Fanfare Band of the Royal Netherlands Army, Tijmen Botma, conductor. The album (BIS-SACD-1965) is on the album titled "Chameleon" and is currently available through LOWBRASSMUSIC.COM. Baadsvik is the only tuba player in the world to have made a career as a full-time soloist and has appeared with the Oslo, Bergen and Warsaw philharmonic orchestras, as well as the National Taiwan and Singapore symphony orchestras.
Concerto For Band Chosen
Mar 1, 2012
CONCERTO FOR BAND has been chosen to be the compulsory composition in the "excellence" category of the Flicorno d'Oro International Band Competition in Riva, Italy. The competition, to be held in July, 2012 will feature 52 participating symphonic bands from around the world.
Symphony Performance in Japan
Oct 13, 2011
Symphony No. One for Band was performed on September 25, 2011, in Tokyo JAPAN by the Green Heart Wind Orchestra under the direction of Toshiro Yamamoto.
Portuguese Magazine Feature
Jul 14, 2011
EURIDICE, the monthly magazine of the Portuguese Army Band, has a featured article on Robert Jager. The article is a result of an interview with SAj MUS Luis Cascao, and it discusses Jager's career, influences, experiences and specific compositions. In June, 2011, the Portuguese Army Band performed Jager's SHIVAREE in concert.
Orchestral ESPRIT DE CORPS Premiered
Jun 6, 2011
On Memorial Day, 2011, the Dayton Philharmonic under the direction of Neal Gittleman premiered the orchestra version of ESPRIT DE CORPS. Originally written for the U. S. Marine Band in Washington, DC, ESPRIT DE CORPS was transcribed for orchestra by the composer during the Winter of 2011. The work, based upon THE MARINES HYMN is available from Hal Leonard Publications.
Orchestral Music on MP3
Jun 5, 2011
Five orchestral compositions by Jager are now available on Naxos MP3. Suite from "Edvard Munch", Like a White Daisy Looks, Kokopelli Dances for flute & orchestra, The Pied Piper of Hamelin for narrator & orchestra, I Dream of Peace for children's chorus & orchestra are included on the recording. John Thomas Dodson conducted the Omsk Philharmonic of Russia with flute soloist Stephanie Winker of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and the St. Louis (MO) Children's Choir. The recording is available on Amazon.com by searching for "Robert Jager" or by using the direct link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WV32ZI/ref=dm_dp_trk5.
New Choral Work Premiered
Jun 5, 2011
LITTLE LAMB based on the poem by William Blake was premiered by the First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir under the direction of Linda Raney in Santa Fe, NM on Sunday, May 15, 2011. The work is dedicated to the Rev. Brooke Pickerell, her husband Anthony, and their new baby, Mather.
Esprit at ABA Convention
Mar 10, 2011
ESPRIT DE CORPS was performed at the 2011 American Bandmasters Association Convention in Norfolk, VA by the U. S. Marine Band of Washington, DC. Col. Thomas Palmatier of the United States Army Field Band conducted.
"Antigone" Incidental Music
Mar 4, 2011
"Antigone", Jean Anouilh's version of the Socrates play will be performed by Santa Fe Theaterwork beginning on April 8, and running through to April 17, 2011. Robert Jager has composed incidental music for the play to be performed during the performance.
2011 Spring Performances
Mar 1, 2011
April - CONCERTO FOR BASS TUBA AND WIND ENSEMBLE - State University of New York at Fredonia Wind Ensemble, Daniel Perantoni, soloist. Paula Holcomb, conducting.
April 10 - I DREAM OF PEACE for children's chorus & orchestra - the Vocal Arts Academy of Milwaukee and the Bel Canto Boys Choir, Emily Crocker, conducting. Christ the King Church, Milwaukee, WI.
May 19 - CONCERTO NO. TWO for alto saxophone - Grossmont College Concert Band, Mitch Way, soloist, Russ Sperling, conductor. El Cajon, CA.
June 4 - FIRST SUITE FOR BAND - Festival Wind Orchestra, Keith Reid, conductor. Lawrence Park Church, Toronto, CAN
Premiere in Pennsylvania
Feb 15, 2011
THREE SCENES FROM "PENN'S WOODS" was premiered on January 29, 2011 by the Bux-Mont Intermediate Honor Band with the composer conducting. The three-movement work (Punxsutawny Phil, Moravian Hymn Variants, Independence Hall) was commissioned by the band to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.
Symphony for Band (No. One) Reissued
Sep 17, 2010
SYMPHONY NO. ONE FOR BAND has been re-edited and re-issued by Alfred Music Publishers. This is the work that won Jager the first of his three "Ostwald Awards" in 1964. It was originally published in three sections but is now available on rental as one complete unit. A recording of the complete symphony is available from Alfred Music Publishers at www.alfred.com or at 1-818-891-5999.
Esprit de Corps in "Teachers Resource Guide"
Jul 2, 2010
An analysis and discussion of ESPRIT DE CORPS will appear in Volume 8 of the "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band" series published by GIA. Mark Whitlock of Ball State University wrote the analysis, and Richard Miles is the compiler and editor.
U.S. Army Orchestra performs Tuba Concerto
May 19, 2010
Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra was performed by the United States Army Orchestra under the direction of Maj. Paul Bamonte on January 28, 2010, as part of the T.U.B.A. Conference in DC. Zach Collins was the soloist.
Tuba Concerto in Colorado
May 19, 2010
Concerto for Bass Tuba and Band is to be performed by the Colorado Wind Ensemble in Boulder, CO, on May 24, 2010, under the direction of Matthew Roader, University of Colorado Director of Bands. The soloist will be Michael Dunn, also a professor at the University of Colorado, and a former theory student of the composer. Also on the program will be Jager's Esprit de Corps.
New Composition for Clarinet & Piano
Aug 6, 2009
Aphorisms for solo clarinet & piano has been released in publication (August, 2009) by Edward B. Marks Corporation/Hal Leonard Publications. The work was commissioned by Garry Evans, clarinet instructor at Texas Women's University, and premiered by him in 2007. He also performed the work at the International Clarinet Symposium at the University of Missouri in Kansas City during the Summer of 2008. Aphorisms is a five-movement suite of approximately 9 minutes length.
"The Wall" to be performed at Kerkrade
Jul 11, 2009
On July 18, 2009, THE WALL will be performed at the World Music Concours in Kerkrade, the Netherlands. The performing ensemble will be the Associazione Musicale Stanislao Silesu from Samassi Sardinie Italy, and the conductor will be Maestro Francesco Pittau. The World Music Concours is the most prestigious gathering of wind bands in the world and it meets every four years in Kerkrade. Ensembles from throughout the world gather to perform and to compete for honors.
The New Grove Dictionary of American Music
May 6, 2009
Robert Jager has been selected to be included in the New Grove Dictionary of American Music. The listing in this prestigious volume will include his biography, performance credits, list of compositions, commissions, publications, awards and honors.
