The simple melody and haunting lyric to Paul Simon's Old Friends, recorded by Simon and Art Garfunkel on their Bookends LP, is presented in this contemporary harmonic framework for a cappella four-part vocal ensemble. Simon's asymmetrical phrase lengths and poetic pauses are thoughtfully treated in a rubato setting that conductors and singers will find naturally fluid and elastic. Concert choirs, vocal chamber ensembles and vocal jazz ensembles at both the high school and university levels have found this brief (2:30) and colorful rendition to be a refreshing addition to concert and festival performances. SATB a cappella.

View all charts by Fred Sturm

FRED STURM is chair of the Eastman School of Music Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media Department, directs the Eastman Jazz Ensemble and Studio Orchestra and administers the Eastman jazz composition/arranging and film scoring program. His jazz compositions and arrangements have been performed by Bobby mcFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Bob Brookmeyer, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, Phil Woods and Diane Reeves; are published by UNC Jazz Press. Warner Brothers, Advance Music and Kendor; have been issued on RCA and Warner Brothers Records; and received a 1998 Grammy Award nomination. His texts, Changes Over Time: The Evolution of Jazz Arranging, Kenny Wheeler: Collected Works on ECM and Maria Schneider: Evanescence are internationally distributed by Advance Music (Germany) and Universal Edition (Vienna) and his jazz aural training concept titled Ears Before Books is used by educators throughout America.