Tycho, Tycho, Tycho is dedicated to my dear friend and mentor Maestro Tommy Tycho. Tommy has spent 60 years working in Australia as a composer, arranger, pianist and conductor. Not only is he one of the finest arrangers and orchestrators on the scene today but he is also a mentor and role model for hundreds of Australian musicians and students.

Tycho, Tycho, Tycho was inspired by the tune Tico, Tico and apart from the fact that it makes a fun little play on Tommy’s name, it is also very much how I perceive the great Maestro’s spirit to be.

The first theme carries within it the feel of the original Tico, Tico but the melody is of course completely different and much more difficult to perform at the recommended tempo. The student is advised to work through each difficult passage slowly and carefully by focusing on the threads of logical thought that bind them together.

It is important however not to allow the feel of the work to bog down or become too precise and sterile as there must always be an air of ease and fun throughout, even if you feel as though your fingers just dropped off of your hand. It should be performed at the liveliest tempo that the performer can manage and remember to shout as loud as you can in the Hey! at bar 103 and then come back in when you’re ready to.

Tycho, Tycho,Tycho is quite a challenge but it’s a lot of fun when you finally get it all together.

Enjoy!

Andy Firth