By Kevin Lucas
Jeff Moore is Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and Professor of Percussion at the University of Central Florida.
KL: Hi Jeff, can you please tell us the story behind “Musica Boema” and Ralph Hardimon?
JM: I grew up in San Jose, California and the first time I heard drum corps was on record albums in 1983. I was blown away to hear how involved the percussion sections were and how far away it was from my concert band experience with limited percussion engagement. The rudimental aspect was icing on the cake; I loved those shows and all the drumlines. The two local corps to me, the Santa Clara Vanguard and Concord Blue Devils made a big impression on my young musician mind. In 1984, I heard my first drum corps show “live” and was able to witness these two drumlines in rehearsal and in a couple of early season shows. The experience of witnessing all this virtuosity and musicianship had a profound impact on me and made me want to do marching band better and to eventually march in a DCI corps. The Santa Clara Vanguard’s percussion feature from 1984 blew my mind at how musical, polyrhythmic and mesmerizing a marching percussion ensemble can be. The Blue Devils’ “Karn Evil 9” drum solo made me want to practice and learn to be a better rudimental snare drummer, but SCV’s solo made me want to be a better musician. I was hooked!
I was able to realize my dream by marching in the North Texas Drumline for three years, one year with SCV and then I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to teach and write for the Madison Scouts for 12 years (1991-2002). Often when I wrote for marching percussion and when I was conducting percussion ensembles at the University of Central Florida and at various festivals, my mind would go back to that SCV percussion feature from 1984. Ralph Hardimon, the iconic and legendary SCV percussion instructor, told me he got the material that he used for the feature from a wind ensemble piece he played while he was a student at the University of Oregon. I sought out the original “Musica Boema” by Zdeněk Lukáš (a Hungarian composer) and I was blown away by the original material; seven and five bar phrases, polyrhythm on top of polyrhythm and I thought “What wonderful music.” I was not just impressed that Ralph created the 1984 feature from this material and all his glorious battery parts and Scottish snare drum solo, but I was also struck that the musical content of Lukáš piece would make an outstanding concert percussion ensemble arrangement. I must have had this idea in my head off and on for 30 years or so, when I finally sat down to write it in the summer of 2025. I wanted to stay as close to the Lukáš original as possible, but to reference Ralph’s arrangement that inspired me all those years ago.
The piece begins with a five-bar introduction that is reminiscent of Ralph’s 1984 piece. After that, I orchestrated the first movement of the Lukáš composition (measures 160-231 specifically) for concert percussion ensemble. I wrote an original Scottish snare solo (inspired by Ralph’s writing) the second time at rehearsal letter G and then I quote Ralph’s Scottish solo from rehearsal letter I to the end. I also quote Ralph’s keyboard lick in the second ending of H and the last four bars of the piece. I hope you and your audiences agree that this is an intriguing arrangement that showcases the softer side of percussion and all the great colors these instruments can produce.
The book is produced and published by Soaring Dove Productions and is being distributed digitally by Tapspace. Musica Boema is being published by Tapspace. All proceeds from this e-book and any royalties from the Musica Boema arrangement will go directly to Ralph, offering support in appreciation for his immeasurable impact on the percussion community.
The arrangement can be purchased at Tapspace.com and the book about Ralph Hardimon can be purchased here: https://www.tapspace.com/product/sticks-on-fire/.
