Air ‘N Variations (Stephen Bulla)

Euphonium Solo

This virtuoso work for solo euphonium and brass band is set in the time honored form of a theme followed by a variety of contrasting variations. The facility required by the soloists is considerable, as the variations explore many areas of technique while also showcasing the lyrical quality and wide range of the instrument. The theme that forms the basis for the piece is an old Victorian era tune from 1886 known as “A Happy Day”. This simple melody with its period lyric (“Before I found salvation I was sunk in degradation…”) provides ample contrast to the complex variations that the soloist will encounter, alongside a good deal of grand musical gestures from the band accompaniment. (Time: 8:00)