Hootenanny
Hootenanny - Randall Standridge
Kick up some dust and grab a partner. Hootenanny by Randall Standridge is a lively Grade 3 celebration of bluegrass spirit and Americana tradition. Fiddle-inspired melodies, foot-stomping rhythms, and bright driving lines give this piece an unmistakable country twang from beginning to end.
Melodic features are shared throughout the ensemble, giving every section its moment in the spotlight, while optional solo passages are carefully cued in other parts for maximum flexibility. Optional parts for additional bluegrass instruments add authentic color and charm. Energetic yet approachable, Hootenanny is sure to have performers and audiences ready to hoot, holler, and clap along
Program Notes
I’m from Arkansas. I’ve lived here all my life, which means, whether I like it or not, I’ve got a little bit of country in me. The accent, the sayings, the whole package. At one point, a well-meaning mentor told me that if I wanted to be taken seriously as a composer, I might consider “working on” that.
I did not.
Because the truth is, I love the way I talk. It is the way my family talks. My friends. My neighbors. It is part of who I am, and over the years, I have come to embrace that more and more in my music.
Hootenanny leans all the way into that.
This piece draws its energy from barn dances, bluegrass, and good old-fashioned fiddle music. The kind of tunes you might hear at a county fair, a front porch jam session, or a night at the Grand Ole Opry. Fast, lively, and just a little bit wild.
The piece opens with a spirited fiddle tune that gets passed around the ensemble, giving each section a moment in the spotlight. From there, the music shifts into a broader, more sweeping idea inspired by the sound of western film scores, before the fiddle tune returns. This time, the band adds stomping and clapping, bringing the audience into the experience as the energy continues to build. As the piece moves toward its conclusion, all of the musical ideas come together for one final hoedown. You will hear elements inspired by traditional fiddle tunes like Orange Blossom Special and Arkansas Traveler, along with the spirit of artists like Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs. The rhythms are driving, the melodies are energetic, and the whole thing is meant to feel like you should probably be clapping along… or at the very least tapping your foot. Maybe both.
Because at the end of the day, all music has value. All music has a story. And all music deserves to be heard.
Even if it comes with a little twang.
Peace, Love, and Music - Randall
Dedicated in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Grafton School Complex—honoring its legacy of excellence, the devoted musical leadership of Band Directors, J. Beth Stone and Eric Musselwhite, the countless students whose lives have been shaped by its music, and the sustaining community.