BOSS FIGHT
(2024, arr. 2025)
PUBLISHER: TUX PEOPLE’S MUSIC | ca. 3.5 minutes | GRADE 3/MEDIUM
JAMES DOYLE/ARR. JOSH TRENTADUE | © 2026 TUX PEOPLE’S MUSIC, LLC
INSTRUMENTATION
WOODWINDS: Piccolo (optional), 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, Bassoon, 3 Bb Clarinets, Bass Clarinet
SAXOPHONES: 2 Altos, Tenor, Bari
BRASS: 3 Bb Trumpets, 2 Horns, 3 Trombones, Euphonium (T.C. and B.C. parts provided), Tuba
PERCUSSION (7 players required): Timpani, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Xylophone, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Wood Block, Tom-toms (4), Kick Drum, Hi-Hat, Cymbals (Splash, Crash, China), Tam-tam
SCORE FOLLOWER
Boss Fight is meant to evoke the feeling one experiences when put in a high pressure video game battle. Games are now a daily part of American culture. Whether it is the New York Times crossword puzzle, a late night "Call of Duty" session, or maintaining one’s island in "Animal Crossing", many people interact with video games on a daily basis. For some, this is their first exposure to classical music. A lot of video game music, however, is actually extremely difficult to play, and outside of tours with professional orchestras, it is seldom heard live. It is my hope that the piece weaves a narrative that drives your imagination and helps you connect to fond memories of your times with friends and a game console, regardless if that was an Atari, Nintendo, PlayStation, or your iPhone. From an educational standpoint, the piece deals with chromaticism as well as introduces players to simple polymeter phrasing.
The piece was originally premiered by the Putnam City West High School Symphony Orchestra on May 2, 2024.
-program notes by James D. Doyle
—please credit James D. Doyle when reproducing these notes in excerpts or in full