Nonantum Bulgar

Adding to the minuscule number of Klezmer pieces for concert band, Nonantum Bulgar is the 20th piece published in the BandQuest  series. The title, Nonantum Bulgar, refers to Nonantum, a district in Newton which is home to the city's oldest synagogue (on the National Register of Historic Places), and bulgar (pronounced 'bull-ghar'), a type of Klezmer dance. When writing the piece, the composer imagined the dedication of the Adams St. Shul, which took place over one hundred years ago and featured a prominent Boston cantor and choir and a klezmer orchestra leading a "Grand March" down Adams St. This upbeat work is fun to play, features a trumpet solo, and gives every instrument the opportunity to play the melody.