Canadian Folk Trilogy: (wp) E-flat Contrabass Clarinet
By Vince Gassi
Grade: 3 (Medium)
Item: 00-PC-0014866_wpECBC
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Description
Canadian Folk Trilogy offers a refreshing setting of three popular Canadian Folk songs. Kicking things off is an enjoyable adaptation of "Donkey Riding." Singing this tune helped sailors to pass the time as they used the donkey engine to load timber onto the decks of ships in Canadian ports. "Inuit Lullaby" slows the pace with a simple but beautiful melody set in three bar phrases. Finally, we conclude with a rollicking version of "I's the B'y" (I'm the Boy), a traditional Newfoundland folk song.
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Additional Details
Series:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
162
SKU:
00-PC-0014866_wpECBC
More about this title
About the Composer: Vince Gassi
Vince Gassi brings twenty-five years of experience teaching instrumental music at the elementary and secondary levels to his work as a composer and conductor. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Western Ontario and completed advanced study in composition and arranging at the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, finishing with a Ph.D. from York University in Toronto.
As an Alfred Music composer since 2006, Gassi has published over 100 works that regularly appear on concert and contest programs across North America, Europe, and Japan. He is sought after as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician, leading seminars on creative engagement in music education and digital workflows for conductors. His pieces are frequent selections at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
Why we love this
Canadian Folk Trilogy delivers three distinct moods without losing cohesion, giving directors a multi-movement concert piece that holds audience attention from start to finish. Gassi's settings honor the character of each song while remaining accessible enough for solid Grade 3 bands to execute with musicality, and the historical context of each tune (sailors, Inuit traditions, Newfoundland culture) invites real engagement with the material rather than rote performance.
What to expect
The trilogy travels from the salty, energetic world of maritime work songs through a tender, meditative moment before landing in the spirited celebration of a traditional Newfoundland fishing song. Each movement has its own musical personality, yet the whole arc feels intentional and complete.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level looking for an engaging three-movement work that combines folk authenticity with strong musical writing. This score works well for directors who want to program culturally representative repertoire without sacrificing musicianship or interest.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the call-and-response quality in "Donkey Riding" by keeping inner voices buoyant and rhythmically precise; the energy of the piece lives in its forward motion and crisp articulation.
- Shape the "Inuit Lullaby" with genuine breath control and dynamic restraint. The simplicity of the melody demands confident intonation and a warm, unified sonority from the woodwind and brass sections.
- Bring character to the jaunty rhythms of "I's the B'y" by locking in the percussion section early in rehearsals; the rollicking feel depends on crisp, confident rhythmic execution across all sections.
How to use it
Program this as the centerpiece of a concert featuring North American folk traditions, or use it as a contest entry that demonstrates musicianship and stylistic range in a single work. The three-part structure also makes it suitable for recordings, where each movement can breathe as its own statement.
Skills your students will build
- Stylistic contrast and expressive phrasing across different folk genres
- Rhythmic precision in energetic, syncopated passages
- Balance and blend in textures ranging from sparse woodwind writing to full-band tutti
- Reading multi-movement concert band scores
- Sustaining musical engagement and intonation in slower, lyrical sections