About the Music

We thank the composer for sharing this program note about his piece March of the Robots for bass clarinet and piano, which can also be performed on B-flat clarinet with piano:

Throughout human history mechanical representations of human beings have fascinated people. As time progressed, these representations became more and more sophisticated and humanlike. Science and science fiction provide fertile ground for thinking about and developing robots.

The word "robot" comes to us via Karel Čapek’s 1920 Czech play, R.U.R…Rossum’s Universal Robots. Isaac Asimov, in his robot stories, gave us robots with “positronic brains.” Many memorable robots have taken their place, not just in science fiction fans’ hearts, but even in the general public’s heart as well. To name just a few, Forbidden Planet gave us Robby the Robot while Gort sets an imposing figure in The Day the Earth Stood Still. Who could forget Johnny 5 in Short Circuit and Robin Williams’ portrayal of Andrew Martin in Bicentennial Man? Manga fans will know Astroboy and R2-D2 and C3PO from the Star Wars universe have made it into pop culture stardom. The list could go on and on!

The science of robotics and artificial intelligence continues to develop more and more sophisticated robots with more and more human characteristics. Robotics technology even impacts us at home. Anyone have a robot vacuum cleaner?! March of the Robots celebrates this fascination with robots. Assemble your favorite robots! It’s time for the march to begin!

Piano score: 5 pages. Bass clarinet part: 2 pages. Extended-range instrument NOT required.

PDF Edition

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About the Composer

Peter J. Pecora, Jr., musician, composer and retired special education teacher, lives in New York State. He studied music at Onondaga Community College (A.A.S.), music education at the State University of New York at Buffalo (B.F.A. & M.F.A.), and special education at Syracuse University (M.S.).

Pete studied clarinet with David Bomstein (1973-1974), Gerald Zampino (1974-1975, at that time principal clarinet of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra), and Allen Sigel at SUNY Buffalo (1975-1978). His flute teachers were John Oberbrunner (1975, at that time principal flute of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra) and Petr Kotik (1976-1977) and Robert Mols (1977-1979) at SUNY Buffalo. He studied composing with Joe Riposo in central New York.

Pete taught private clarinet and saxophone lessons in central New York and was a special education teacher for many years. He has performed in and written music for many bands and musical settings in the Buffalo and Syracuse, NY areas, including jazz, rock, R&B, classical, and gospel music. He has also written music for and directed church choirs.

Pete’s compositions include music for clarinet, flute, and saxophone ranging from solo with piano to trios and quartets. Some of Pete’s compositions for flute have received honors from the National Flute Association in their annual Newly Published Music Competition. In 2020 his arrangement of Sussex Carol was a finalist in the trio category and in 2021 his original piece, The Sailor and the Sea, received an honorable mention in the trio category. His clarinet, flute, saxophone, and double reed compositions are available from Wonderful Winds in England.

Pete's current musical activities, besides composing and arranging, include playing flute and saxophone in the worship band at the church he attends and performing in the central New York area. Pete's music can be found at www.reverbnation.com.

(Photo by Sandra Roe, Photos at 1020)