A Conductor's Analysis of Joel Puckett's Short Stories

Joel Puckett's Short Stories, a concerto for string quartet and wind ensemble was composed for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Wind Ensemble and premiered at the 2013 National Convention of the College Band Directors National Association. Providing insight and background information to future performers and conductors through research, analysis, and first-hand experience from the commission to the premiere, this work presents original research and scholarship on Short Stories, addressing three main areas: the background of Short Stories and the compositional process, a formal analysis, and conclusions. The uniqueness of Short Stories lies in its construction and emphasis on pairs, which Puckett utilizes in a powerful way throughout his piece. The pairing of a string quartet and wind ensemble, pairing each of the eight movements - four pairs, and the individual and intimate atmosphere created by the use of pairs, all speak to the overarching duality contained within the composition.