00 - Complete Score - Vulnerable Joy by Jodie Blackshaw_Tabloid paper

Vulnerable
Joy
for concert winds, brass & percussion
Grade 4
Maturing Series
JODIE
BLACKSHAW

Vulnerable Joy
FOR WOODWIND, BRASS & PERCUSSION
JODIE BLACKSHAW
INSTRUMENTATION
PICCOLO
FLUTE I
FLUTE II
OBOE
BASSOON I
BASSOON II
CONTRA BASSOON (OPT.)
CLARINET I IN B ♭
CLARINET II IN B ♭
CLARINET III IN B ♭
CLARINET IV IN B ♭
BASS CLARINET IN B ♭
CONTRABASS CLARINET IN B ♭ (OPT.)
TRUMPET I IN B ♭
TRUMPET II IN B ♭
TRUMPET III IN B ♭
1 ST HORN IN F
2 ND HORN IN F
3 RD HORN IN F
4 TH HORN IN F
TROMBONE I
TROMBONE II
BASS TROMBONE
EUPHONIUM
TUBA
DOUBLE BASS
ALTO SAXOPHONE I
ALTO SAXOPHONE II TIMPANI (4)
TENOR SAXOPHONE
PERCUSSION (6) SEE BELOW
BARITONE SAXOPHONE
MALLET PERCUSSION I: MARIMBA, TRIANGLE, SUSPENDED CYMBAL
MALLET PERCUSSION II: GLOCKENSPIEL, CROTALES
MALLET PERCUSSION III: VIBRAPHONE
MALLET PERCUSSION IV: VIBRAPHONE
AUXILIARY PERCUSSION I: BASS DRUM, LARGE CONGA
AUXILIARY PERCUSSION II : TAM-TAM, CRASH CYMBALS
©2022 ColourFULL Music. All rights reserved. International rights secured.
jodieblackshaw.com

w PROGRAM NOTE w
'Vulnerable Joy' is inspired by the self-sacrifice,
commitment and humility of the mother
Humpback whale. As a mammal, baleen whale,
she grows to approx. 16m (52 ft) and lives at the
ocean's surface in order to breath. She travels up
to 6, 500km (approx. 4,000miles) from her
feeding ground to birth her calf in warmer
tropical waters. Once she leaves the feeding
grounds of Antarctica or the cooler oceans of the
Northern Hemisphere, she will not feed again
until she returns some 8-9 months later. All the
while, nursing her newborn calf with up to 600
litres (132 gallons) of milk per day.
Photograph by Christopher Swann
In realising the enormity of this feat, my mind turned to the whales who are closest to me, those who migrate along the East
coast of Australia from Tonga to Antarctica. I imagined the sheer relief she must feel in that moment when the cool waters
of the Southern Ocean rub her skin for the first time. She is tired and hungry but in that moment (in my imagination), I feel
her joy, her intense, overwhelming joy.
During the opening and closing of the performance, you may here the instrumentalists murmuring some words. This ‘chant’
is made up of word fragments from eight different languages. The fragments used come from translations of the following
words/phrases: “Welcome”, “Peace be with you”, “Live long and prosper”, “Love”. The colour and beauty of these
translated words has been used not to create a direct translation of these English phrases, but to provide a link between
the humpback whales’ intelligent communication capability and our inability to understand them. For if we could, I feel sure
they would be sending us a very clear message: please allow us to live our lives in peace, love, prosperity and beautiful,
awe-inspiring, vulnerable joy.
Jodie Blackshaw
Baranduda, Victoria, 2022
w ABOUT THE COMPOSER w
Dr. Jodie Blackshaw (b. 1971) grew up in the south-east of rural Australia and formed a very personal relationship with
music early in life through the creative application of her imagination to musical colours and movement. Today, she
continues to seek creative experiences for students through her teaching and composing so they, too, may enjoy the
personal relationship she discovered in her formative years.
In 2020 Blackshaw completed her PhD in Composition with Dr. Christopher Sainsbury at the Australian National
University. In addition to composing and presenting music education workshops, Blackshaw is passionate about fostering
equality in concert programs, including schools. In 2018 she curated the website www.colourfullmusic.com to share
diverse wind band programs created by leading conductors with the global wind music community. In 2021 Blackshaw
launched the Teaching Performance through Composition series. This series is evidence-based and was developed as
part of Jodie’s post-graduate studies into the compositional process and how best to apply that to an educational
environment. In mid-2022 Jodie was proudly elected onto the board of WASBE.
To find out more please visit: www.jodieblackshaw.com: www.jodieblackshaw.com
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w REHEARSAL NOTES w
THE CHANT
In the opening 16 measures of the work, all non-playing performers recite a rhythmic chant created specifically for the
purpose of this work. It is not in any specific language, but a collation of words from multiple languages that represent a
selection of phrases. The phrases and their translations/transliterations are:
ENGLISH FRENCH JAPANESE FINNISH HEBREW ROMANIAN TONGAN MAORI VULCAN
Welcome Bienvenue ようこそ
“yōkoso”
Tervetuloa
“barokh'
Bun venit Talitali lelei Nau mai
haere mai
Na'shaya
haba”
Peace be
with you
Live long
and
prosper
Que la paix
soit avec
vous
Vivre
longtemps
et prospérer
あなたと 一
緒 に 平 和
“heiwa
isshoni to
anata”
長 生 きして
繁 栄 する
“nagaiki
shite han-ei
suru”
Love Amour 愛
“ai”
Rauha olla
kanssasi
Elää pitkään
ja menestyä
Rakkaus
‏)ֹרָבּ אָבַּה
ii
וֹםלָשַּׁהֶשׁ
יֶהְהִי
‎4‎‏ְמִּע
“shehashalo
m yih'yeh
im'kha”
וֹתיַּחְל
בַר
ןַמְז
“l'chayot
z'man rav
ul'shoag'shoe
g”
הָבֲהַא
“ahavah”
Pacea să fie
cu tine
pacea: “paché”
Să: “sō”
Tine: “ti-né”
Trăiește
mult și
prosperă
ke ‘iate koe
‘a e melinó
גֵשְׂ‏ גַשְׂלוּ
trăiește –
“try-é-stè”
Dragoste
“Drag-ôstè”
Mo’ui
fuoloa mo
tu’umālie
‘ofa
“ôfa”
Kia tau te
rangimarie
ki a koutou
Kia ora, kia
ora
Aroha
Sochya
nam-tor k'
du
Dif-tor heh
smusma
Ashaya
AUDIO SAMPLE: A sample of the chant being spoken for your students to practice with is included on the ‘Exclusive
materials’ page access via the QR code on every part and the score (see next page for details),
Please note: The languages chosen here were designed to represent different sectors of the world. Western Europe: French. Asia-Pacific:
Japanese, Scandinavia: Finnish, Middle East: Hebrew, Eastern Europe: Romania, First nations: Maori. Tongan was added as the Humpback
whales closest to my region (South East Australia) migrate from Antarctica to Tonga. An African language was not selected due to the many,
many dialects. Instead, knowing that French is spoken as the lingua franca by a high population of African nations, French has been used here
with this in mind. Vulcan (from Star Trek) was added to demonstrate that this is not an attempt to make any kind of political statement, but to
create a global chant (see below).
It was the initial research into humpback whalesong that convinced scientists that these mammals were sentient beings
that deserved our protection and respect. Hence I wanted to represent an aspect of the work that was not of itself wholly
comprehensible, but perhaps moments of it maybe to some, (just like the moments of profound communication some
humans have had with whales and other sea creatures). This is why no English words have been included.
The phrase itself it not to be directly translated. It is designed to portray an overall message of warmth, kindness, peace,
love and prosperity. This in turn resembles the altruistic nature of the humpback whales as well as their highly complex
form of communication (of which we know so little about).
PERSONALISE THE PHRASE: Ensembles are encouraged to invite students who speak a second language
(especially one native to them or their immediate family) to share their own translations of these phrases. You are
welcome to change words within the phrase that match the rhythm provided with these alternate translations in other
languages, effectively creating a personal message of peace and goodwill that best represents the community from within
your ensemble.
Resources are provided as a downloadable Word Document via the dedicated webpage (see QR code over page).

EMOTIONAL CONTEXT: Embracing the 21st Century
Instead of providing details for emotional context on the score and in parts by way of words
and directions, I have instead created a webpage that provides links to YouTube clips and
imagery. All parts contain the QR code printed here for easy access.
Four different informative and/or inspiring video clips are included. These correspond with the
four main sections of the work. Students are invited to link the emotions/information provided
with their own personal experiences by way of mind-map, journal entry, video blog,
dance/movement or artistic expression (whatever is personally relevant to them). Based on
your school community, select what methodology is best for sharing/discussing student
responses (if you choose to share them at all – they may remain personal). This task is designed to couple information and
imagery with personal experience to contextualise the meaning behind the work with the day to life of your students.
Contextualization that is hoped will influence their emotional and musical approach to the performance of this work.
NOTE: Program note is also available for download via this link in Word format.
A FEW TECHNICAL NOTES:
Articulation interpretation (for clarity)
Staccato: short (note held for approximately 50% of it’s value) and detached
Tenuto: an unstressed note that is held for its fullest value (note held for 100% of its value)
Mezzo Staccato: lightly detached (note held for approximately 75% of it’s value)
Accented Staccato: accented and detached (accent held for approximately 75% of it’s value)
Accented Tenuto: accented and note held to it’s fullest value (note held for 100% of its value)
Marcato: sharp, heavy accent and detached (note held for approximately 50% of it’s value)
Sforzando: sudden, loud burst of sound, notes following return to prior dynamic unless marked
otherwise.
Please note: the breath mark is used as an articulation. An indication of a very small separation of the notes.
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w CONDUCTOR NOTES w
Measure 1-26 “Entering the Southern Ocean”: With quiet purpose
• Interpreting the “Survival” motif: this figure appears throughout the piece and is what I call the “survival” motif. The
breath mark denotes a very short detachment between the two notes within the duplet. The tie to the quarter
note/crotchet marked with a tenuto represents holding the note to its fullest value (no stress on the note itself). The
tenuto marked note, when slurred to in this fashion, should not ever be re-articulated OR accented.
• Mallets Percussion II: If Crotales are not available, use a pedal Glockenspiel where available. Do not use brass
mallets – crisp, firm plastic mallets are best here.
• Aux. Perc. II: The Tam-tam should be a murmur here until measure 16, nothing more.
• mm. 4: The spoken chant here is designed as a timbre that sparks curiosity. It is not important that the audience
here the words clearly, but moreso, are able to hear the colour the different words provide. The whisper should be
audible (not under the breath), but retain its breathy attack and release.
• mm. 14-15: Horns should disappear into the Clarinet entry. Clarinet I and II entry at 14 should not be articulated other
than with the breath.
• mp+: This dynamic marks a halfway point between mp and mf. Whilst subtle, explore with your ensemble the
differences here to ensure a graduated approach to the climax at 25-26 is enabled.
Measure 27-52 “As if moving in slow motion”: Effortlessly
The theme introduced at the pick-up to mm. 31 by Bassoons is the “Calf” motif. Playful, ever-changing and growing, the
theme should be interpreted with a sense of frivolity and joy. At rehearsal marking ‘F’ (mm. 53) the theme is interspersed
with the ‘Survival’ motif, almost as if the mother whale is pushing her calf along with a sense of impatience.
• Mallet Percussion I and IV are designed to lock together on every pulse, players should be staged next to each
other. Mallets II and III also work together frequently and should also be staged next to each other for ease of clarity
and security.
• String Bass may need to be amplified in order for the pizzicato figure that commences at 29 to be heard. Add Tuba
and/or Contrabass clarinet (as cued) if required, but aim to keep the pizz. timbre prominent. The dull sound of the
centre of a conga drum is also added to fortify this line, but the conga should never be louder that the Bass.
• mm. 39: The Clarinet entry here should not be a surprise to the audience and emerge from the established texture
of the percussion. The figures are written in pairs – Clt I and II work in tag team, as do Clt III and IV. The pulsing 8th
notes/quavers in-between the 16 th notes /semi-quaver patterns are designed to keep players locked into the pulse.
At all times they should work within the framework established by the percussion and provide a colour rather than
an over-powering rhythmic figure.
• mm. 47: Ensure Alto Sax I has the warmest tone possible here and enters with subtlety (rather than brute force!).
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Measure 53-70 “Re-connection and satiation”: with increasing intensity
• mm. 53-55: The new colour of Tpt/Oboe/Saxophone will be more pointed then previously. Invite players to hold
back here and not give too much too soon. Allow the polyrhythmic ostinato figure in the lower reeds and brass to
emerge (and yes, they start together and then phase).
• mm. 57-61: Pay careful note to dynamics here and read each increase as that particular figure emerging from the
texture. Other parts follow and gradually all come together on the last two 8th notes/quavers of mm. 61.
• mm. 62-65: a moment of unrelenting joy! Don’t hold back!! Review videos on webpage of humpback whales feeding
in their bubble-net formation for inspiration here J.
• mm. 66-67: It is imperative that the Trombones and Euphoniums play their duplets as smoothly as possible here.
• mm. 66-70: Focus your Trombone/Euphonium on the duplets to really achieve the momentum of the polyrhythmic
structures here. Saxes should also play out but not overpower the main theme as played by Clarinets, Trumpets
and Horns.
Measure 71-end “The returning”
• mm. 70: A sudden transition that is best achieved by maintaining current tempo until exactly on the 3 rd pulse of the
12/8. Allow percussion to ring and use the timbre of the bass drum, matched by the slight crescendo in lower reeds
and String Bass to successfully bring about the transition.
• The chant here works in tandem with the bass figure to provide a reverberation effect – again, celebrate the colour
of the words in their hushed tones and use them to your best advantage.
• mm. 71: Flutes, Bassoons and Trombones transform the ‘survival’ motif into a happily seated F major. The lower
Flute colour is written in to soften the blend of Bassoon/Trombone, but then removed so that the inversion of the
harmonic language here changes to offer greater resolution for the audience.
• mm. 79-80: Play around with this section. Ideally, the hushed, layered and quasi-improvised tones of “Heiwa aroha”
(peace, love: pronounced hey-wa a-row-ha) provide a luscious texture that envelopes the fading lower reeds, brass
and String Bass, that fade away as the percussion rings out. It may take a few different attempts to make this
section work, but when done with commitment and professionalism, it is simply magical.
COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Commissioned by the Jodie Blackshaw Commission Consortium, led by Dr. Timothy Mahr.
Consortium members:
Bethel University - Dr. Steven Thompson
Blaine High School - Bruce Olson
Concordia College - Dr. Peter Haberman
Eagan High School - Brett Benson
Edina High School - Paul Kile
Gonzaga University - Dr. Peter Hamlin
Gustavus Adolphus College - Dr. James Patrick Miller
Hays High School - Matthew Rome
Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School - Scott Sheehan
Hopkins High School - Nora Tycast
Kent State University - Dr. Wendy Matthews
Minneapolis Southwest High School - Reid Wixson
Minnesota Symphonic Winds - Dr. Timothy Mahr
New Prague High School - John Pohland
Orono High School - Timothy Arnold
Owatonna High School - Peter Guenther
Prior Lake High School - Justin Schramm
Roseville Area High School - Matt Dehnel
Shakopee High School - Eric Christenson
Spring Lake Park High School - Ross Wolf
St. Charles East High School - Jim Kull
St. Olaf College - Dr. Timothy Mahr
St. Paul Central High School - Matthew Oyen
Texas Woman's University - Dr. Carter Biggers
The Blake School - Brian Lukkasson
University of Dubuque - Dr. Nolan Hauta
University of Wisconsin-Parkside - Dr. Laura Rexroth
Waconia High School - Nick Hansberry
Washington Community High School - Jim Tallman
Waubonsie Valley High School - Mark Duker
Winona State University - Dr. Melanie Brooks
Thank you for supporting an independent artist! PLEASE, keep in touch and let me
know when you are performing the work!
v

This work is dedicated to my Father-in-law,
Brian Charles Worrall.
Thank you for quietly teaching us the importance of
humility, grace and altruism.
“ Truth will out.”
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