Haiku

Composer John Mackey shared on his blog that a perfect last line for a haiku is "why bother? It's band." I'm clawing my way through a couple of different pieces for the Asbury University concert band right now, and in various moments of frustration I've been pondering the same to myself:

Instrumentation

requires euphoniums.

Why bother? It's band.

This lick would work well

on a harp and crotales.

Why bother? It's band.

There's no way on Earth

third trumpets will tune themselves.

Why bother? It's band.

I forgot to write

this horn part in transposed pitch.

Why bother? It's band.

Saxophones, my friends,

you all are my only hope.

(Why bother? It's band.)

Unrelated to all of that, I've found David Rakowski's blog to be endlessly entertaining as well.