BONE SLAYER

Composer(s) / Arranger(s): Gary P. Gilroy

Performance Time: 7:08  |  Grade: 4

Bone Slayer was commissioned by Dr. Russ Zokaites, Trombone Professor at Fresno State.  It was premiered in Fresno, California on Thursday, May 2, 2024 with the composer conducting and Dr. Zokaites playing the solo.  

Composer Gary P. Gilroy writes:

I’ve been in love with the trombone since my high school days when I heard my former band director, Joe McCaskey play his trombone often during rehearsals.  He was an inspirational example for all of us and we always had a great trombone section in our band as a result.  I didn’t know then that I would one day take up the trombone at the urging of my college and Santa Clara Vanguard buddy, Charlie Iwanaga, to be a part of the San Jose State Spartan Marching Band trombone section.  We had too many percussionists and not enough low brass.  It was a great experience and although I was certainly not the most proficient on the instrument, I was a loud and proud contributor and I had a great time!  

That experience would also be very helpful in the years following as I taught high school for the first part of my career as a band director and it was also quite helpful to me as a composer and arranger.  My trombone ensemble, Fanfare and Dance For Bob was featured at the International Trombone Festival in New Orleans in  2005 and I feel like much of the success of that work was based on the knowledge I gained from my one-semester college experience learning to play and appreciate the trombone.

I am certainly very proud to compose this fun work for Russ Zokaites and my wonderful Fresno State Wind Orchestra students who have brought much joy to my life as a conductor.  This collaboration has been another great experience and I treasure the time I’ve spent working on Bone Slayer with Dr. Zokaites and my talented Wind Orchestra students.

Dr. Russ Zokaites adds the following:

I've always seen the bass trombone as a playful and masculine instrument.  In many cases, the bass trombone is used to convey loud, boisterous, and monstrous scenes.  One could say, we are the battle axe of the orchestra.  To quote Hector Berlioz: "In my opinion, the trombone is the true head of the family of wind instruments, which I have named the 'epic' one.  It possesses nobility and grandeur to the highest degree; it has all the serious and powerful tones of sublime musical poetry, from religious, calm and imposing accents to savage, orgiastic outburst.  Directed by the will of the master, the trombones can chant like a choir of priests, threaten, utter gloomy sighs, a mournful lament, or a bright hymn of glory; they can break forth into awe-inspiring cries and awaken the dead or doom the living with their fearful voices" 

Looking forward,   Russ