i found a frog! · sebastian zhang

i found a frog! (2022)
vibraphone solo + jazz big band, no brass · 6 minutes · advanced+

If you want to be notified when the score releases, send me an email at sebastian.zhang.music@gmail.com with the subject "i found a frog! score".

Instrumentation
A mixed chamber ensemble consisting of the following:

Vibraphone (3.0 octave) - soloist
2 Alto saxophones
2 Tenor saxophones
1 Baritone saxophone (optional low A₃ (concert C₂) extension)
1 Piano
1 Double bass (optional low C extension)
1 Drum set

This instrumentation may best be thought of as a vibraphone soloist with a jazz big band, without a brass section.

i found a frog! was inspired by my frequent encounters with frogs during walks outside.

I'm not quite sure why, but it makes me really happy when I unexpectedly find a frog. It's a simple thing, but it always brightens my day. Over the past year, I've noticed that a lot of other small things brighten my day too—the menagerie of hellos and quips in everyday life, a silly idea here, a strangely wonderful conversation there.

This piece was written about those little things.

Stylistically, this piece draws from jazz-classical fusion (or third stream), bebop, electro-swing, and music scored for Japanese animation.

These are all types of music that I listen to for fun, outside of the strictly classical realm. I’ve noticed that all of these genres of music utilize similar harmonies, are often fast and energetic, and feature memorable themes.

i found a frog! is a conglomeration of all these genres, a celebration of the cheery, upbeat music that I enjoy.

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