Black Dog by Scott McAllister. Eltham High School School Symphonic Band, Conductor Rick Keenan

Black Dog by Scott McAllister. Eltham High School Symphonic Band featuring Alessandra Prunotto on Clarinet. Conducted by Rick Keenan. Celebration Concert 2014.

Black Dog is a rhapsody for solo clarinet and wind ensemble, and was commissioned in 2001 and dedicated to Dr. James Croft, former Director of Bands at Florida State University and Dr. Frank Kowalsky, Professor of Clarinet at Florida State University.

The passion and energy that is generally associated with rock music are elements that the composer incorporated into the style of this Concerto. The work is inspired by classic hard rock music, particularly Led Zeppelin’s rhapsodic-style song Black Dog. The clarinet solo takes the role of the lead singer in a hard rock band with its extreme range and emotions juxtaposed with the pyrotechnic solos in true “Hendrix” fashion. The rhapsody begins with a long solo cadenza which introduces most of the material in the work. The middle section is a very slow, upward, “Stairway to Heaven” gesture. The last section of Black Dog concludes with a “head-banging” ostinato pattern that leads to the final fiery cadenza.

This performance features Alessandra Prunotto. A VCE student at Eltham High School in 2014 part of her studies was the subject Music Investigation, focusing on the interpretation of jazz-influence classical works for clarinet. In 2013 Ale completed Year 12 Music Performance and was also awarded her AMusA.

Eltham High School Music Department

Eltham High School is a large high school on the urban rural fringe of north eastern Melbourne. The school’s primary focus has always been to enhance student outcomes through the provision of high quality teaching and learning strategies.

The Music Program at Eltham High School is internationally renowned for its excellence and is recognised as one of the finest school Instrumental Music Programs in Australia. The Symphonic Band is the most senior of four wind ensembles at the School.

The Music Program provides private Instrumental lessons for all orchestral instruments: Strings, Woodwind, Brass and Percussion. Our Ensemble Program includes four Wind Ensembles, three String Ensembles, three Big Bands, a choir and various chamber ensembles, allowing our students to have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of musical experiences.

The students are also provided with Classroom Music lessons as part of their school curriculum. Music theory, song writing, arranging, composition, technology and solo performance make up the various components of the curriculum which is taught from year 7-12.

Eltham High School is highly regarded as an educational institution. Its reputation as an outstanding academic school is well recognised within the community and education circles. The co-curricular opportunities offered to our students across a range of areas including the performing and visual arts programs and the elite sports program are outstanding. Engagement with student leadership initiatives is sustained across all areas and levels of the school.

In the last 80 Years Eltham High School has established a tradition through its strong commitment to the areas of:
• Inspiring through excellence
• Creativity
• Individuality
• Social Justice.

Eltham High School is a school with high expectations where you feel safe to be yourself and challenged to think critically, to work independently and in teams, to show leadership and to achieve success along many pathways.

We believe that the “Deeds that Count” are:
• Respect
• Integrity
• Respect for diversity
• Environmental and social responsibility.