Composer/Arranger Raymond Horton
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I admit it! I have been lazy! During the pandemic, I could’ve been working on this website every day and kept it well up-to-date, but I haven’t. It’s early October now, here are some updates as to what has been going on in my musical life since the shut down in March: First, on the arranging front, a performance of a big arrangement I was preparing for the Commonwealth Brass Band was put off because of the pandemic. I have completed it, a re-transcription of an adventurous medley of songs by the great Harold Arlen that I did for the Louisville Orchestra some years ago. "An Arlen Rainbow"  stay tuned for more!
In June (2020) I had a fun opportunity, performance-wise:  I was the “house band” on Paula Poundstone’s podcast
"Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone”!
The weekly podcast always has a one person instrumental house band, whether it be a contrabassoonist, bagpiper or what have you. (This was dictated partially by the small studio in which it was originally recorded, and has continued during the separation imposed by the pandemic). I have been a big fan of the podcast for quite some time and volunteered through email a few weeks before. This episode is not quite as funny as most, perhaps, but it is definitely worth your listen!

There are one or two oddities about the music that I submitted and how they used it. Number one, I am identified as a bass trombone player, but most of the clips are on euphonium, with a few on bass trombone and a couple on tuba. There is also a little inside joke for regular listeners of the podcast in the music I chose for the opening, which I hoped the hosts would
pick up on but they did not: Paula has made up a simple song to try to help her remember her weekly vocabulary word, and cohost Adam Felber has pointed out that her song sounds a great deal like “Lullaby of Broadway” - so that is what I played! 

About that warning: "The show contains some coarse language, and definitely some liberal politics, so consider yourself warned!" I have some straight-laced relatives, so I edited the broadcast down to exclude all (I think) of the four-letter words and all (I think) of the politics. (Also a few boring stories!) If you would like to hear it, please send me an email at: horton.raymond@gmail.com.  If you'd rather hear it unexpurgated, click here:

"Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone” Episode 101 

This was exciting: a former neighbor, who now lives in Paris, France, had a friend come up to him and say “Aren’t you from Floyds Knobs, Indiana? Paula Poundstone had an instrumentalist named Raymond Horton from Floyds Knobs. Do you know him?"  Neighbor replied “Know him! I lived two houses away from him all of the years I was growing up!

NEW FOR CHRISTMAS!!!
"The Little Drummer Boy - El Conguerito (the Little Conga Boy)"
a fresh new take on a familiar Christmas tune for orchestra!
SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL INFO!


FREE MUSIC!  
Click HERE for FREE MUSIC for Trumpet, Trombone, and Church Choirs

Premiere!!!
Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 at 7 p.m., the Commonwealth Brass Band presented a free concert at Edwardsville United Methodist Church. The program included a world premiere of Sunday Sunshine, a musical celebration of hymns of the United Methodist Church, commissioned by tubist Steve Lasher and other members of the CBB, written by composer Raymond Horton. It was played expertly and was received extremely well by the audience!  A repeat performance at the Ogle Center, New Albany, IN on Sunday, Oct 28th was also a great success!

rayhortonmusic.com 
is a member of 
Independent Classical Music Publishers 

NEWS!
For 2018-19, Five more performances of my composition​ ​for orchestra ​​Make Gentle the Life of This World,​​ which uses the speech Robert Kennedy gave in Indianapolis on the day that Martin Luther King was killed in 1968.  This work  was awarded a "Special Judge's Citation, Recognizing Unique Artistic Achievement" by The 2012 American Prize in Composition: Orchestra Division (Professional). 

Rogue Valley Symphony, Ashland, OR
Medford, OR: Friday, Nov 30, 7:30 pm
Ashland, OR: Saturday, Dec 1, 7:30 pm
Grants Pass, OR​: Sunday, Dec 2, 3 pm
http://rvsymphony.org/18-19-season/

"Your music left a deep impression in all three (full) concert halls. I was a recipient of numerous compliments on adding such a beautiful and meaningful piece on the program. I want to pass them along to you at least this way, as you are their righteous owner! Many thanks again. I already cannot wait to introduce your deeply touching piece to the audience in Queens!" Martin Majkut (Music Director, Rogue Valley Symphony, OR, and Queens Symphony Orchestra, NY)

York Symphony, York, PA 
January 19, 2019 at 7:30pm
www.yorksymphony.org/wp-content/uploads/YSO-18-2680_Brochure-Concept_web.pdf


The Queens Symphony Orchestra, 
Queens College, Queens, N
Y

 Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 2:30 PM
LeFrak Concert Hall, Kupferberg Center for the Arts
65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, New York 11367
 
https://events.time.ly/bxba31b?event=23796575
 " ... the work made an impact... they truly appreciated the music and how it enhanced the powerful text. The Executive Director of QSO came to me after the concert and told me she was in tears during Make Gentle. Thanks again for this gift of a piece. It resonates deeply with the audiences. If there is another opportunity to present it, I will happily do so!   Martin Majkut (Music Director, Rogue Valley Symphony, OR, and Queens Symphony Orchestra, NY)

​In the 2017-18 season, several orchestras played ​​Make Gentle the Life of This World.  (2018 ​marked​ the 50th anniversary of the MLK and RFK assassinations.) 

January 15 South Bend Symphony, Alastair Willis, conductor
https://www.southbendsymphony.org/concert/mlk-day-celebration-concert

From Maestro Willis:"Your piece is still ringing in my head! ...  I felt YOUR piece perhaps the most perfect piece for the evening...   I am deeply grateful to you...I'm so glad we did it." 

January 30 & 31 Rochester (NY) Philharmonic, Michael Butterman​​, conductor
http://www.rpo.org/p_2394/Primary_Concerts/http://www.rpo.org/p_2394/Primary_Concerts/

From Maestro Butterman: "
 [In rehearsal I said] “it’s a remarkably well-crafted work.”  ... the musicians shuffled their feet and tapped their bows.  I’ve never experienced that—an expression of appreciation to a composer who is nowhere within earshot!   But I thought that you should know that the work is being appreciated and admired....
[Performance] : "We had about 2,000 3rd graders in attendance this morning.  The majority of them were African-Americans.  It was really very special—they were attentive and riveted during your piece."
 


Het Gelders Orchestra (aka Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra), Ben Glassberg​​, conductor:​

15 March 2018 De Vereeniging (Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
16 March 2018 Musis Sacrum (Arnhem, the Netherlands)​|
https://hetgeldersorkest.nl/


M​ay​ 5, 2018​ The Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra, Bel Air, MD, Sheldon Bair, conductor
http://www.ssorchestra.org/programs/2017-18-season/
(2nd performance by this fine orchestra)

​I​ attended the performances in South Bend, the Netherlands, and Maryland.​

(Maestro Sheldon Bair is an incomparable host!)
​​

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NEW FOR CHRISTMAS!!!
"The Little Drummer Boy - El Conguerito (the Little Conga Boy)"
a fresh new take on a familiar Christmas tune for orchestra!

Heard from the audience:
"Delightful!" "What fun!" "Thank you, we really enjoyed that!"


Feature your timpanist or another percussionist on the conga drum solo, (written out, with some improvisation optional). A real crowd favorite!

See sample excerpts score and listen to complete computer demo below.  Complete score available for viewing - email us! 

PDF Score and parts available for sale for the 2019 Christmas season for a very low introductory price: only $70

little_drummer_boy_el_congarito_orch_18_sample.pdf
File Size: 402 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​The premiere of Emery Crossing: a hit! 
The audience loved it!  Sample recording:

​​Emery Crossing Movement III "Ghost Cars! (Junkyards)"
(Using Irish folk tune "The Unquiet Grave") Duration: 3'20"  
 A scary old Irish folk tune is accompanied by ghost sounds, first in percussion, later in the brass.
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emery_crossing_iii_ghost_cars.mp3
File Size: 4442 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File

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I am extremely pleased to announce that I have been awarded a 2017-2018 Individual Artist Grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. This is my fifth such Grant since 2003. The grant is to write a work for brass choir or brass band entitled Emery Crossing which portrays, in six short movements, a very interesting road that goes from just outside New Albany, Indiana to the riverfront near Jeffersonville (across from Louisville, KY).  

Emery Crossing is a picturesque road which runs past boat dealerships, junkyards, rusted train cars, abandoned homes and beautiful pastures to reveal a breathtaking view of the Ohio River and thriving commerce and industry. My good friend Nate Siler (Trombone professor at Eastern Kentucky University) suggested that I apply to write a work for a college brass choir, and promises to have it played as soon as possible. Another good friend, Jerry Amend (Principal Trumpet in the Louisville Orchestra and founder/director of the Commonwealth Brass Band) suggested I write it to be playable by British brass band also, and had it played as such by the Commonwealth Brass Band, conducted by the composer, in March 2018.


AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER

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Make Gentle the Life of This World
awarded a 
Special Judge's Citation, 
Recognizing Unique Artistic Achievement,  

by The 2012 American Prize in Composition:
Orchestra Division (Professional) 



This website is making process! 
"
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” (Berthold Auerbach) 


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