What's That Thang?: Conductor Score & Parts

This piece demands that each player step into the spotlight with a written solo, building confidence and individuality within an ensemble context. The "swunk" fusion keeps students engaged with a contemporary sound that feels nothing like standard quartet literature, while the option to improvise over changes rewards players who want to take interpretive risks.

Energetic and playful, with swagger. The swunk groove pushes the quartet into pop and jazz territory while the individual solos give each player a moment to shine with attitude and personality.

String quartet programs with players at an intermediate-advanced level who thrive on stylistic variety and aren't intimidated by funk and swing idioms. This works for ensembles ready to perform something bold and modern that will surprise and delight an audience expecting traditional repertoire.

• Lock in the rhythmic pocket between violin and cello before adding the inner voices; the groove depends on this foundation staying tight.
• Give each soloist room to breathe and personalize their written material. Encourage violins to lean into the swing inflections rather than playing the rhythms mechanically.
• Rehearse the transitions between solos carefully so the energy never dips when focus shifts from one player to the next.
• If players want to improvise their own solos using the chord changes provided, work out those moments in advance so the rhythm section (viola and cello) can support them reliably.

Program this as a standout contemporary piece on a concert that mixes classical and modern works, or use it to close a set on a lighter note. It's the kind of piece that makes audiences remember your ensemble as adventurous and fun, not stuffy.

• Swing and funk rhythmic feel and articulation
• Solo performance and improvisation over chord changes
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated ensemble lines
• Individual expression within collaborative chamber settings
• Reading and performing non-traditional string music notation