*NOW AVAILABLE* Six Little Songs for Voice and Chamber Winds

Six Little Songs for solo voice and chamber winds is now available - listen and purchase here.

Six Little Songs is my third song cycle (after Alcott Songs, and New England Folk Songs). In this song cycle, I set short, whimsical poems written by my wife Ashley. I wrote the songs originally in 2017 for voice and piano, and in 2020, Trae Blanco and Murray State University led a consortium that commissioned a new version for solo voice and small chamber ensemble - flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, piano, and one percussionist.

The six short songs present contrasting musical moods, each one painting the scene of the particular poem used for that song.

*NOW AVAILABLE* For This Brave New Day for Wind Band

For This Brave New Day is a grade 4 work for wind ensemble, 6:30 in length - listen and purchase here.

The piece was commissioned in 2020 by a consortium of ensembles and organizations in the northeast in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the South Shore Conservatory Summer Music Festival in Boston, MA. The music depicts the grandeur of a sunrise at the summer music festival - a day beginning with just nature that slowly turns into a glorious day full of music.

Originally scheduled to be premiered at the 2020 SSC Summer Music Festival, the For this Brave New Day was ultimately premiered at the 2021 Summer Music Festival, under the baton of Eric Laprade.

*NOW AVAILABLE* Lamentation for Euphonium and Wind Ensemble

Lamentation for Euphonium and Wind Ensemble is now available - listen and purchase here.

The piece was commissioned in 2019/2020 by World-Wide Concurrent Premieres and Commissioning Fund, Inc. and premiered in February 2020 by the Sam Houston State University Wind Ensemble with Brian Gibbs, Conductor, and euphonium soloist SSG Irving Ray of the US Army Band “Perishing’s Own.”

In addition to the premiere at Sam Houston State University, the SHSU Wind Ensemble and Irving Ray took the piece on tour in February 2020 culminating in a memorable performance at TMEA.

The work was written in memory of Irving’s older brother Isaiah, who was also a euphoniumist who died tragically in 2006.

"American Nocturne" premiered at CSU Pueblo Festival of Winds

This past weekend, I was honored to be a Composer-in-Residence at the Colorado State University Pueblo Festival of Winds. As part of the festival, the CSU Pueblo Wind Ensemble premiered a new piece of mine titled “American Nocturne,” which is the third and final piece in the trilogy of blues scale/train inspired pieces that began with “Magnolia Star.”

“American Nocturne” was commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Commissioning Project, with support from 35 ensembles and individuals. More soon!

New "Festival Music" Recording [Video]

Check out this great new recording of Festival Music, performed by members of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Mark Scatterday.

"Elegy for the End of Nature" 🌎 Want to be a Project Partner?

During the past few months, I've been busily composing a 3-movement work for string orchestra and percussion on the topic of climate change, titled Elegy for the End of Nature.

I'm currently looking for Project Partners who are interested in co-premiering the piece. There is no commission fee - just the commitment to purchase the sheet music (at a discount) and perform the work. The music is grade 4, and several youth orchestras, colleges, and community orchestras have already signed on to the project.

I drew some inspiration from Vivaldi's concept for The Four Seasons, namely the idea of including a poem to accompany each part of the work. The poems included in Elegy for the End of Nature reflect on a particular aspect of climate change and continue the story told in Vivaldi's poem for Summer from The Four Seasons. If you are interested in reading more about the project and the music, click here.

A portion of all sales from Elegy for the End of Nature will be donated to advance climate technologies and policies. It's one small way that you and I can both do something to address this ever-growing crisis.

Guest on the "Everything Band" Podcast

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Connor and being interviewed for the “Everything Band” podcast. In the episode, we talk about my musical upbringing, important teachers I have had along the way, and how some of my compositions have come to be.

Listen here.

International Music Program (IML) Seminar, 2/20/21

On Saturday February 20th at 11am eastern time, I’ll be presenting on my composition “Into the Silent Land” for the IML virtual seminar series. View a video about the series here.

To attend, simply email filipposalemmi@gmail.com to register.

International Music Program (IML) is a consortium of American & Italian Colleges/Universities and Conservatories of Music created to provide wind Ensemble and chamber music performance/pedagogy, Master Class and Seminary of Study; conducting symposia, activities and Concert Tours in Europe and in USA.

"Canon Fanfare" Now Available for Flex Instrumentation, Wind Band, Symphony Orchestra, or String Orchestra

At the end of December, I had an idea: what if the first piece I published in 2021 was a fanfare, a celebration of what will surely be a hopeful year for many? After everything we experienced in 2020, it would be a positive, hopeful piece to begin the New Year.

Out of this idea, “Canon Fanfare” was born. It’s just 2 minutes long, and after a brief opening section, a canon begins that builds to the climax of the work. I have created 4 versions of the piece: 8-part flexible instrumentation (plus optional percussion). wind band, symphony orchestra, and string orchestra. Listen, see inside the score and order here.