“The Juggler” from Euphonium Concerto
The Juggler is taken from Karl Jenkins' Euphonium Concerto, an extended work given its world premiere by euphonium soloist David Childs and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes in St. David's Hall, Cardiff during the last night of the 2009 Welsh Proms.
The Juggler, would normally form the first movement of the concerto, but it stands alone very well as an individual work for euphonium and band. The music is episodic beginning with with a minimalist texture over which the euphonium "tweets" three short calls before riffing around. It is broken up by a 'circus waltz' exploiting the agility and virtuosity of the euphonium in a fun context.
On his eagerness to compose the work for David, Karl Jenkins stated, "It's been a privilege to write for such a virtuoso performer. We had been talking about it for some time and happily, it all came together in 2009. David is a wonderful musician of the highest quality and it was a joy and, indeed, a challenge, to write a work for both him and an instrument of such beauty and agility."
The Juggler for euphonium and brass band received its premiere on November 29th 2009 in Swansea's Brangwyn Hall performed by David Childs and the Cory Band conducted by Dr. Robert Childs, and can be heard on Doyen CD262 Moto Perpetuo.
Other individual movements and the complete Concerto for Euphonium with brass band accompaniment are available from Prima Vista Musikk. Orchestral and wind band versions are available from Boosey and Hawkes.