Elliott Miles McKinley

Tuba and Vibraphone

Composer's Note:

This work is dedicated not only to my longtime collaborator and friend, Andy Martin, but also to my first real music teacher, Mr. David Bunten (1957-2025). “Mr. B,” as he was known to generations of students, served as music and band director at Reading Memorial High School from 1981 until his retirement in 2015. He was also a tuba player. I met Mr. B in the fall of 1985, when I was a sophomore in high school. He played an enormously important role in my life, offering encouragement and guidance at a time when I needed both. During those often awkward high school years, the band room became a kind of safe haven, a place where I found community, purpose, and an emerging sense of who I might become. Mr. B’s support helped set me on the path that ultimately became my life as a professional musician. For that, and for much more, I am deeply grateful. Thank you, Mr. B.