Wendy's Musical Compositions

Wendy Bartlett Compositions

Wendy has been passionate about composing music since the age of 10. She served in the Navy before establishing Wendy Workx. Her compositions include Many are the Seasons, Chamber Ensemble (2008 - 2009), Batalla de Latón, Brass Sextet (2012), Sea Symphony, Full Orchestra, and more. Sample selection PDFs of most multi-part scores are available in the box below. Read further and find recordings of most of the pieces. Wendy is ready for her future in commissioned works. Wendy Workx is conveniently located in Bellingham, WA.

Great Musical Compositions Of Wendy

Andante in G minor, Solo Flute

Wendy had written while taking flute lessons from Edith Easton in Mount Vernon, Washington, while in high school at La Conner. This was entered into a youth composition contest statewide and won an honorable mention award. It was a study in arpeggiation going from G minor to G Major and back to G minor. Wendy performed this piece at Mrs. Easton's spring flute recital.

Raindrops, Solo Piano

Wendy composed Raindrops during a week-long composition workshop with the Centrum Foundation in Port Townsend, Washington. The weather outside was seasonally stormy, windy, and rainy for late winter, and her first piece written for solo piano musically illustrates rain coming down against the dorm room window where she stayed at Fort Worden State Park during the one-week program for young composers. Wendy found a 2/4 time rhythm in E flat minor that had the feel of raindrops coming down on windowpanes. Listen for a hint of distant thunder in the low octave range, midway through the piece. At the time this piece was composed, Frederic Chopin's Raindrop inspired her.

Waves, Solo Piano

Waves was a follow-up to Raindrops, inspired by Mannheim Steamroller's (Fresh Aire) Chip Davis. Wendy likes his style.

Promising, Promising, Solo piano

This was a piece that Wendy wrote while studying composition at Skagit Valley College. It is dedicated in loving memory to her aunt, Lorraine Schmidt, who passed away and who loved beautiful gardens. Aunt Lorraine was fondly known as "Rainy."

Midnight Driver, Solo Piano

This is a piece originally for solo piano inspired by Wendy's first trip to Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, with her parents. She and her parents were staying three weeks at a friend's condo, Mike Pegram. On their way from Wailuku Airport in Mike's big green scout, they saw coming in their direction a mid 70's red VW Beatle convertible with a black top down – exactly like her beloved "Frankie" at home! The déjà vu of it was such that, as her father was driving and they were winding along the coastal highway north and west to Kapalua, Wendy had been thinking, "wouldn't it be fun if my little VW could be winding along the beach on this very road?" Not Frankie, but his twin! A minor rolling chord depicts the rolling waves along the seashore.

Mizoré (“Snowflakes”), Solo Piano

Wendy's father had a little story to share about a trip to Kamakura he made on a steam train while in Japan during his years in the U.S. Navy. This piece depicts the (then very small) village of Kamakura, its people, and the little tea house on a frozen lake surrounded by cherry trees – all guarded by a Buddha shrine and a 500-ft-tall statue of Buddha. The swirling snowflakes dance upon the lake.

If You Love Ice Cream, Solo Piano

Crazy title, but Wendy thinks you have to have at least one. Wendy does love ice cream, and this was another piece inspired by Chip Davis (particularly his "Chocolate Fudge" c. from Fresh Aire I). Yes – Wendy loves chocolate, too; another of many credits she gives to her mother. She still has wonderful memories of sundae-making – with lots of Hershey's chocolate syrup!!

Monday Morning, Solo Piano

Have you ever had one of those days when everything goes......uh, um......a little off? Like you wish it was Sunday morning, instead?

Andrea’s Theme, Solo Piano

This was inspired by Debbie James and her daughter, Andrea, who lived in Seattle and would come up to Fidalgo Island to visit Wendy's parents. Andrea was a neat little girl ready for whatever adventures lay ahead. Wendy wrote a "dream sequence" in the middle of the piece; it seemed Andrea liked to daydream as much as she did. What's cool about Andrea's Theme is that it marked the first piece with a key change from D major to E major!

Just After Five, Chamber Quintet

Composed in 2005, Just After Five is a short jazzy quintet piece written for string quintet.

Point Break, Solo Piano

Point Break is a solo piano piece depicting the dramatic vastness of emotions. Wendy wrote the piece while in the Composition program at WWU, studying with Mark Chubb. The premiere of the piece was played by Aaron Spotts Composer of the Western concert in Bellingham, WA.

The Drowning Pool, Chamber Orchestra

• Movement I - Prelude
• Movement II - O, to be Heard!
• Movement III - The Last Battle
• Movement IV - Life Goes On
• Movement V - Where There is Love

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Gather 'Round the Beachfire, Flute Octet

Gather 'Round the Beachfire is a short flute octet piece about a more innocent time in Wendy's childhood growing up on Fidalgo Island, five miles west of La Conner, Washington, on the Swinomish Indian Reservation.

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Chorale for Four Trombones, Trombone Quartet

Written for two tenors and two bass trombones in concert E flat Major, this piece was commissioned and performed by Professor Greg Cox and his trombone ensemble in the Western Washington University Performing Arts Center concert hall (after Memorial Day).

Loose Canon! in C minor [original in B minor], Trombone Quartet

Here is another piece that exercises arpeggiation. Wendy wrote the original version in concert B minor with two sharps, thinking that the contrast to the Chorale for Four Trombones would be a good change. She later re-wrote the piece 1/2 tone up to concert C minor in three flats. It would certainly have been easier to keep both pieces in the key of concert C minor/ E flat Major. For those who want the B minor version, it's here too.

Waltz of the Saxophones, Saxophone Quartet

Wendy wrote this piece for a saxophone quartet that Sean Gormley was in at Western Washington University. It has not been performed yet, but was is written for two alto saxophones, a tenor saxophone, and a baritone saxophone in concert A flat Major.

Many are the Seasons, Chamber Ensemble

Many Are the Seasons is a loving series of seven sketches written for chamber ensemble in tribute to Wendy's mother, Kathleen Janet Bartlett, who passed away quietly at home after battling Parkinson's. The programmatic pieces, played chronologically, tell and celebrate the story of Kathleen's life from early childhood through her final years.

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Batalla de Latón, Brass Sextet

Batalla de Latón is a three movement jazzy sextet commissioned by the Boundary Bay Brass Quintet.

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Sea Symphony, Full Orchestra

Wendy's second symphony in the works, Sea Symphony, is a three movement programmatic orchestral work, this time for full orchestra.

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If you are interested in booking Wendy for a gig or discuss music composition please email Wendy at wendyworkx@gmail.com.