Mark Watkins

Shankin' on a Rutabaga

for Wind Quintet. Well, the title about says it all. This piece is quirky, jazzy, a lot of fun to play, and makes a great addition to the standard quintet repertoire. It is a hard piece to explain, so here are some words from the composer: 'Uniquely, this piece always makes me think I'm some British composer who was writing about rabbits vying for vegetables, frolicking in a forbidden garden... maybe I was channeling 'The Tortoise and the Hare' and the turtle finally gets a voice. The rabbit gets a tummy ache mistaking a rutabaga for a carrot, and has to play catch up...?' 2012 NFA Newly Published Music Competition - HONORABLE MENTION