TODD GOODMAN THESE VALLEYS NEVER HEARD for piano
©2004 Wrong Note Media, Inc. First Edition Printing: 2025
979-0-800218-18-7
TODD GOODMAN THESE VALLEYS NEVER HEARD for piano
Total Duration | Durée totale | Gesamtdauer
9’00
This work may not be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part by any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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PROGRAM NOTES
THESE VALLEYS
NEVER HEARD
I wrote These Valleys Never Heard in 2004 while working on my master’s degree at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the remarkable David Stock. Having arrived at Duquesne with an already substantial catalog of mainly tonal-ish works, David encouraged me to work on expanding my compositional vocabulary by experimenting with different languages and compositional systems. Being the bull-headed student, I rebelled for a quite some time, but eventually gave in—writing the second movement of this piece in a few hours. My goal was to write a 12-tone work that didn’t exactly follow the rules of 12-tone. There is a row, yes, but I adapted the rules so that I can at any time go back to pitch zero without having to complete the entire row. I enjoyed the piece—which is now the second movement—so much, I decided to expand it by writing three more movements. The title These Valleys Never Heard comes from the fact that up until this point in my writing, the valleys in western Pennsylvania had never heard music like this come from my pen.
Each movement is unique in energy, but the harmonic language is the same. The first movement is exciting and triumphant, while the second is subtle and calm. The third is very anxious and busy, and the fourth is celebratory.
Todd Goodman’s These Valleys Never Heard was premiered by Christine Murphy at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, Pennsylvania, in 2008.
For more music, please visit www.WrongNoteMedia.com
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
as of January 2025
TODD GOODMAN is a prominent figure in the contemporary classical music scene, pushing the boundaries of the genre with his unique style and vision. His music is performed and recorded around the globe by musicians of all levels—including, world-renowned soloists, top-tier professional ensembles, academic ensembles, and learners of all ages. Goodman has been the recipient of numerous awards, grants, commissions, and honors from organizations such as the American Prize, the British Trombone Society, the International Tuba Euphonium Association, the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music America, and many others. As an advocate for arts education, Goodman has served for over two decades in various compositional and educational residencies with orchestras, opera companies, performing arts centers, and academic institutions around the United States, and was a nominee for the very first Educator of the Year Grammy™ Award.
Recordings of Goodman’s music can be found on Wrong Note Media, Potenza, Hello Stage, Arts Laureate, Duquesne University Press, Bridge, and Push Records. Goodman holds degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Duquesne University, and Kent State University, and has studied at l’École Normale de Musique in Paris, France, and the Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, Colorado. He currently resides outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
More information about Todd Goodman can be found at www.WrongNoteMedia.com.
FOR DR. JENKINS
Thank you for always pushing me to expand my language!
“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” - KEN ROBINSON
THESE VALLEYS NEVER HEARD
MORE PIANO MUSIC FROM TODD GOODMAN
CHAMBER MUSIC
Departure (7’) - trombone (horn or euphonium), tuba (trombone), violin, viola, and piano WNM41901
IF— (6’) - high voice, flute, and piano WNM42001fp
Imprint (6’) - clarinet, violin, and piano WNM41401
Wanderlust (6’) - horn (euphonium), tuba, and piano WNM41701
Will We Stay (5’) - high voice, clarinet (flute), and piano WNM49801
CONCERTO
Victoriam (18’) - triple concerto for horn, tuba, piano, with accompaniment orchestra WNM12302 | wind ensemble WNM12302we all available through www.WrongNoteMedia.com
