SKU: PR.16500101F

ISBN 9781491131725. UPC: 680160680252.

Ever since the success of my series of wind ensemble works Places in the West, I've been wanting to write a companion piece for national parks on the other side of the north American continent. The earlier work, consisting of GLACIER, THE YELLOWSTONE FIRES, ARCHES, and ZION, spanned some twenty years of my composing life, and since the pieces called for differing groups of instruments, and were in slightly different styles from each other, I never considered them to be connected except in their subject matter. In their depiction of both the scenery and the human history within these wondrous places, they had a common goal: awaking the listener to the fragile beauty that is in them; and calling attention to the ever more crucial need for preservation and protection of these wild places, unique in all the world. With this new work, commissioned by a consortium of college and conservatory wind ensembles led by the University of Georgia, I decided to build upon that same model---but to solidify the process. The result, consisting of three movements (each named for a different national park in the eastern US), is a bona-fide symphony. While the three pieces could be performed separately, they share a musical theme---and also a common style and instrumentation. It is a true symphony, in that the first movement is long and expository, the second is a rather tightly structured scherzo-with-trio, and the finale is a true culmination of the whole. The first movement, Everglades, was the original inspiration for the entire symphony. Conceived over the course of two trips to that astonishing place (which the native Americans called River of Grass, the subtitle of this movement), this movement not only conveys a sense of the humid, lush, and even frightening scenery there---but also an overview of the entire settling-of- Florida experience. It contains not one, but two native American chants, and also presents a view of the staggering influence of modern man on this fragile part of the world. Beginning with a slow unfolding marked Heavy, humid, the music soon presents a gentle, lyrical theme in the solo alto saxophone. This theme, which goes through three expansive phrases with breaks in between, will appear in all three movements of the symphony. After the mood has been established, the music opens up to a rich, warm setting of a Cherokee morning song, with the simple happiness that this part of Florida must have had prior to the nineteenth century. This music, enveloping and comforting, gradually gives way to a more frenetic, driven section representative of the intrusion of the white man. Since Florida was populated and developed largely due to the introduction of a train system, there's a suggestion of the mechanized iron horse driving straight into the heartland. At that point, the native Americans become considerably less gentle, and a second chant seems to stand in the way of the intruder; a kind of warning song. The second part of this movement shows us the great swampy center of the peninsula, with its wildlife both in and out of the water. A new theme appears, sad but noble, suggesting that this land is precious and must be protected by all the people who inhabit it. At length, the morning song reappears in all its splendor, until the sunset---with one last iteration of the warning song in the solo piccolo. Functioning as a scherzo, the second movement, Great Smoky Mountains, describes not just that huge park itself, but one brave soul's attempt to climb a mountain there. It begins with three iterations of the UR-theme (which began the first movement as well), but this time as up-tempo brass fanfares in octaves. Each time it begins again, the theme is a little slower and less confident than the previous time---almost as though the hiker were becoming aware of the daunting mountain before him. But then, a steady, quick-pulsed ostinato appears, in a constantly shifting meter system of 2/4- 3/4 in alteration, and the hike has begun. Over this, a slower new melody appears, as the trek up the mountain progresses. It's a big mountain, and the ascent seems to take quite awhile, with little breaks in the hiker's stride, until at length he simply must stop and rest. An oboe solo, over several free cadenza-like measures, allows us (and our friend the hiker) to catch our breath, and also to view in the distance the rocky peak before us. The goal is somehow even more daunting than at first, being closer and thus more frighteningly steep. When we do push off again, it's at a slower pace, and with more careful attention to our footholds as we trek over broken rocks. Tantalizing little views of the valley at every switchback make our determination even stronger. Finally, we burst through a stand of pines and----we're at the summit! The immensity of the view is overwhelming, and ultimately humbling. A brief coda, while we sit dazed on the rocks, ends the movement in a feeling of triumph. The final movement, Acadia, is also about a trip. In the summer of 2014, I took a sailing trip with a dear friend from North Haven, Maine, to the southern coast of Mt. Desert Island in Acadia National Park. The experience left me both exuberant and exhausted, with an appreciation for the ocean that I hadn't had previously. The approach to Acadia National Park by water, too, was thrilling: like the difference between climbing a mountain on foot with riding up on a ski-lift, I felt I'd earned the right to be there. The music for this movement is entirely based on the opening UR-theme. There's a sense of the water and the mysterious, quiet deep from the very beginning, with seagulls and bell buoys setting the scene. As we leave the harbor, the theme (in a canon between solo euphonium and tuba) almost seems as if large subaquatic animals are observing our departure. There are three themes (call them A, B and C) in this seafaring journey---but they are all based on the UR theme, in its original form with octaves displaced, in an upside-down form, and in a backwards version as well. (The ocean, while appearing to be unchanging, is always changing.) We move out into the main channel (A), passing several islands (B), until we reach the long draw that parallels the coastline called Eggemoggin Reach, and a sudden burst of new speed (C). Things suddenly stop, as if the wind had died, and we have a vision: is that really Mt. Desert Island we can see off the port bow, vaguely in the distance? A chorale of saxophones seems to suggest that. We push off anew as the chorale ends, and go through all three themes again---but in different instrumentations, and different keys. At the final tack-turn, there it is, for real: Mt. Desert Island, big as life. We've made it. As we pull into the harbor, where we'll secure the boat for the night, there's a feeling of achievement. Our whale and dolphin friends return, and we end our journey with gratitude and celebration. I am profoundly grateful to Jaclyn Hartenberger, Professor of Conducting at the University of Georgia, for leading the consortium which provided the commissioning of this work.

SKU: PR.16500102F

ISBN 9781491131749. UPC: 680160680276.

Ever since the success of my series of wind ensemble works Places in the West, I've been wanting to write a companion piece for national parks on the other side of the north American continent. The earlier work, consisting of GLACIER, THE YELLOWSTONE FIRES, ARCHES, and ZION, spanned some twenty years of my composing life, and since the pieces called for differing groups of instruments, and were in slightly different styles from each other, I never considered them to be connected except in their subject matter. In their depiction of both the scenery and the human history within these wondrous places, they had a common goal: awaking the listener to the fragile beauty that is in them; and calling attention to the ever more crucial need for preservation and protection of these wild places, unique in all the world. With this new work, commissioned by a consortium of college and conservatory wind ensembles led by the University of Georgia, I decided to build upon that same model---but to solidify the process. The result, consisting of three movements (each named for a different national park in the eastern US), is a bona-fide symphony. While the three pieces could be performed separately, they share a musical theme---and also a common style and instrumentation. It is a true symphony, in that the first movement is long and expository, the second is a rather tightly structured scherzo-with-trio, and the finale is a true culmination of the whole. The first movement, Everglades, was the original inspiration for the entire symphony. Conceived over the course of two trips to that astonishing place (which the native Americans called River of Grass, the subtitle of this movement), this movement not only conveys a sense of the humid, lush, and even frightening scenery there---but also an overview of the entire settling-of- Florida experience. It contains not one, but two native American chants, and also presents a view of the staggering influence of modern man on this fragile part of the world. Beginning with a slow unfolding marked Heavy, humid, the music soon presents a gentle, lyrical theme in the solo alto saxophone. This theme, which goes through three expansive phrases with breaks in between, will appear in all three movements of the symphony. After the mood has been established, the music opens up to a rich, warm setting of a Cherokee morning song, with the simple happiness that this part of Florida must have had prior to the nineteenth century. This music, enveloping and comforting, gradually gives way to a more frenetic, driven section representative of the intrusion of the white man. Since Florida was populated and developed largely due to the introduction of a train system, there's a suggestion of the mechanized iron horse driving straight into the heartland. At that point, the native Americans become considerably less gentle, and a second chant seems to stand in the way of the intruder; a kind of warning song. The second part of this movement shows us the great swampy center of the peninsula, with its wildlife both in and out of the water. A new theme appears, sad but noble, suggesting that this land is precious and must be protected by all the people who inhabit it. At length, the morning song reappears in all its splendor, until the sunset---with one last iteration of the warning song in the solo piccolo. Functioning as a scherzo, the second movement, Great Smoky Mountains, describes not just that huge park itself, but one brave soul's attempt to climb a mountain there. It begins with three iterations of the UR-theme (which began the first movement as well), but this time as up-tempo brass fanfares in octaves. Each time it begins again, the theme is a little slower and less confident than the previous time---almost as though the hiker were becoming aware of the daunting mountain before him. But then, a steady, quick-pulsed ostinato appears, in a constantly shifting meter system of 2/4- 3/4 in alteration, and the hike has begun. Over this, a slower new melody appears, as the trek up the mountain progresses. It's a big mountain, and the ascent seems to take quite awhile, with little breaks in the hiker's stride, until at length he simply must stop and rest. An oboe solo, over several free cadenza-like measures, allows us (and our friend the hiker) to catch our breath, and also to view in the distance the rocky peak before us. The goal is somehow even more daunting than at first, being closer and thus more frighteningly steep. When we do push off again, it's at a slower pace, and with more careful attention to our footholds as we trek over broken rocks. Tantalizing little views of the valley at every switchback make our determination even stronger. Finally, we burst through a stand of pines and----we're at the summit! The immensity of the view is overwhelming, and ultimately humbling. A brief coda, while we sit dazed on the rocks, ends the movement in a feeling of triumph. The final movement, Acadia, is also about a trip. In the summer of 2014, I took a sailing trip with a dear friend from North Haven, Maine, to the southern coast of Mt. Desert Island in Acadia National Park. The experience left me both exuberant and exhausted, with an appreciation for the ocean that I hadn't had previously. The approach to Acadia National Park by water, too, was thrilling: like the difference between climbing a mountain on foot with riding up on a ski-lift, I felt I'd earned the right to be there. The music for this movement is entirely based on the opening UR-theme. There's a sense of the water and the mysterious, quiet deep from the very beginning, with seagulls and bell buoys setting the scene. As we leave the harbor, the theme (in a canon between solo euphonium and tuba) almost seems as if large subaquatic animals are observing our departure. There are three themes (call them A, B and C) in this seafaring journey---but they are all based on the UR theme, in its original form with octaves displaced, in an upside-down form, and in a backwards version as well. (The ocean, while appearing to be unchanging, is always changing.) We move out into the main channel (A), passing several islands (B), until we reach the long draw that parallels the coastline called Eggemoggin Reach, and a sudden burst of new speed (C). Things suddenly stop, as if the wind had died, and we have a vision: is that really Mt. Desert Island we can see off the port bow, vaguely in the distance? A chorale of saxophones seems to suggest that. We push off anew as the chorale ends, and go through all three themes again---but in different instrumentations, and different keys. At the final tack-turn, there it is, for real: Mt. Desert Island, big as life. We've made it. As we pull into the harbor, where we'll secure the boat for the night, there's a feeling of achievement. Our whale and dolphin friends return, and we end our journey with gratitude and celebration. I am profoundly grateful to Jaclyn Hartenberger, Professor of Conducting at the University of Georgia, for leading the consortium which provided the commissioning of this work.

SKU: CF.SPS89

ISBN 9781491156483. UPC: 680160915026. 9 x 12 inches.

Program Notes This composition for wind ensemble is partially inspired by my home town of Sebastian, specifically its location on the east coast of the state of Florida. My childhood included many quick trips to both the nearby Indian River and the beaches on the coast, so swimming and the water were integral parts of my experience growing up. This work is my musical expression of diving underwater and getting swept up by a fast current and discovering wonders beneath the surface. Dive! has two central components: a constant, driving eighth-note pulse and a main theme which is fragmented and passed around at first, but then is presented completely by the low reeds around a minute and a half into the piece. The steady eighth-note pulse reflects the swift current that a diver might follow, while the main theme represents all the wonders that might be hidden under the water. Performance Notes Ideally, the Trombone 3 part should be played on a Bass Trombone. However, if one is not available there are cues for notes that are beneath a tenor trombone's range. Make sure the vibraphone is heard clearly throughout the piece, as this particular sound is very important to the overall color of this piece. The Percussion 5 part requires two performers as some of the hits happen too quickly for one player to switch between instruments. The most important component of this work is the steady eighth-note pulse, and this pulse never changes even though the meter changes frequently to odd or uncommon time signatures; if the eighth notes remain constant and driving, the meter changes will not pose much of a problem.              .
Program NotesThis composition for wind ensemble is partially inspired by my home town of Sebastian, specifically its location on the east coast of the state of Florida. My childhood included many quick trips to both the nearby Indian River and the beaches on the coast, so swimming and the water were integral parts of my experience growing up. This work is my musical expression of diving underwater and getting swept up by a fast current and discovering wonders beneath the surface.Dive! has two central components: a constant, driving eighth-note pulse and a main theme which is fragmented and passed around at first, but then is presented completely by the low reeds around a minute and a half into the piece. The steady eighth-note pulse reflects the swift current that a diver might follow, while the main theme represents all the wonders that might be hidden under the water.Performance NotesIdeally, the Trombone 3 part should be played on a Bass Trombone. However, if one is not available there are cues for notes that are beneath a tenor trombone's range.Make sure the vibraphone is heard clearly throughout the piece, as this particular sound is very important to the overall color of this piece. The Percussion 5 part requires two performers as some of the hits happen too quickly for one player to switch between instruments.The most important component of this work is the steady eighth-note pulse, and this pulse never changes even though the meter changes frequently to odd or uncommon time signatures; if the eighth notes remain constant and driving, the meter changes will not pose much of a problem.       .

SKU: CF.YPS237F

ISBN 9781491159545. UPC: 680160918133.

Rejoice, Dolce, and Dance is written in three different and distinct styles. Rejoice is fanfare-like in quality and should be played in a bold majestic manner; balance is important in this section. Care should be taken to not let the battery percussion overpower the ensemble The forzandos are very important to the character of the fanfare and should be carefully observed. Dolce is slow and more lyrical in manner. This section should be played in a legato style. The director is encouraged to add his own interpretative elements in this section. The Dance is fast and light in character. Keep the tempo moving and pay special attention to the articulations and dynamics. Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity is an honorary fraternity for band directors. There are currently 35 active chapters in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Phi Beta Mu is a non-political, non-profit fraternity promoting fellowship among its members, encouraging the building of better bands, developing better musicians throughout the world, fostering a deeper appreciation for quality wind literature, and encouraging widespread interest in band performance. Consortium Members: Commissioned by the International Bandmasters Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu   Alpha Chapter (Texas) Theta Chapter (South Carolina) Delta Chapter (Mississippi) Omicron Chapter (Arkansas) Alpha Theta Chapter (Nebraska) Alpha Gamma Chapter (North Dakota) Gamma Chapter (Indiana) Nu Chapter (Pennsylvania) Psi Chapter (Kentucky) Mu Alpha Chapter (Alberta, Canada) Lambda Iota (Ontario, Canada) Iota Chapter (Kansas) Kappa Chapter (Colorado) Eta Chapter (Tennessee) Zeta Chapter (Georgia) Keith and June Bearden (Alpha Chapter) Steven Moss (Alpha Chapter) Jay Watkins (Omega Chapter) Anonymous, David Lambert for his service to Phi Beta Mu International Anonymous, Scott Coulson, for his service to Alpha Chapter Jacqueline Gilley (Beta Chapter), In Memoriam, Francis McBeth Dennis Beck, (Lambda Iota Chapter) In Memoriam, Donald McKeller Brek Hufnus (Xi Chapter), In Memory of David Wuersig, Roosevelt Middle School, River Forest, IL, 1974-2014 David and Sheryl Gary Lambert (Alpha Chapter), In Memory of James D Gary, John Foster Dulles High School, Sugar Land, TX 1959-1968 Phil Min (Rho Chapter), In Honor of William T. Robinson Julia Reynolds (Omicron Chapter), In Honor of Wendell O. Evanson Julia Reynolds (Omicron Chapter), In Honor of Hal D. Cooper, Senior Steve Shoop (Alpha Chapter) In Honor of Patsy Dickerson Nelson David L. Wenerd (Nu Chapter), In Honor of the Chambersburg Area Senior High School Band    .
Rejoice, Dolce, and Dance is written in three different and distinct styles. Rejoice is fanfare-like in quality and should be played in a bold majestic manner; balance is important in this section. Care should be taken to not let the battery percussion overpower the ensemble The forzandos are very important to the character of the fanfare and should be carefully observed. Dolce is slow and more lyrical in manner. This section should be played in a legato style. The director is encouraged to add his own interpretative elements in this section. The Dance is fast and light in character. Keep the tempo moving and pay special attention to the articulations and dynamics.Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity is an honorary fraternity for band directors. There are currently 35 active chapters in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Phi Beta Mu is a non-political, non-profit fraternity promoting  fellowship among its members, encouraging the building of better bands, developing better musicians throughout the world, fostering a deeper appreciation for quality wind literature, and encouraging widespread interest in band performance.  Consortium Members:Commissioned by the International Bandmasters Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu   Alpha Chapter (Texas)  Theta Chapter (South Carolina) Delta Chapter (Mississippi)  Omicron Chapter (Arkansas) Alpha Theta Chapter (Nebraska) Alpha Gamma Chapter (North Dakota)  Gamma Chapter (Indiana)  Nu Chapter (Pennsylvania) Psi Chapter (Kentucky) Mu Alpha Chapter (Alberta, Canada) Lambda Iota (Ontario, Canada) Iota Chapter (Kansas) Kappa Chapter (Colorado) Eta Chapter (Tennessee)  Zeta Chapter (Georgia) Keith and June Bearden (Alpha Chapter)  Steven Moss (Alpha Chapter) Jay Watkins (Omega Chapter) Anonymous, David Lambert for his service to Phi Beta Mu International Anonymous, Scott Coulson, for his service to Alpha Chapter Jacqueline Gilley (Beta Chapter), In Memoriam, Francis McBeth Dennis Beck, (Lambda Iota Chapter) In Memoriam, Donald McKeller Brek Hufnus (Xi Chapter), In Memory of David Wuersig, Roosevelt Middle School, River Forest, IL, 1974-2014  David and Sheryl Gary Lambert (Alpha Chapter), In Memory of James D Gary, John Foster Dulles High School, Sugar Land, TX 1959-1968 Phil Min (Rho Chapter), In Honor of William T. Robinson Julia Reynolds (Omicron Chapter), In Honor of Wendell O. Evanson Julia Reynolds (Omicron Chapter), In Honor of Hal D. Cooper, Senior Steve Shoop (Alpha Chapter) In Honor of Patsy Dickerson Nelson David L. Wenerd (Nu Chapter), In Honor of the Chambersburg Area Senior High School Band  .

SKU: CF.YPS205F

ISBN 9781491152935. UPC: 680160910434.

Cornish Coastal Walk is a beautiful new composition depicting the majestic cliffs and coastline of the Cornwall region in England. Composer Michael Miller provides young bands with an opportunity to stretch their musical muscles with this lush and tuneful piece in 3/4 time. Directors will find in this piece a strong vehicle to teach phrasing, beauty of tone, and musicianship to young bands.
In the far southwest of England reaching out towards the Celtic Sea is the county Cornwall. A peninsula, Cornwall is surrounded by some of the world’s most picturesque scenery including beaches, cliffs, and rolling hills. Separated from the rest of England by the river Tamar, the Cornish take great pride in their culture including the pasty (a stuffed pastry and preferred lunch of miners), Cornish cream tea (not to be confused with rival Devon cream tea where the cream goes under the jam), and well known national heritage sights such as Rough Tor (Cornwall’s highest point), and Tintagel Castle (rumored birth place of King Arthur).In the spring and summer of 2017, I had the pleasure to visit Cornwall, while my wife was a visiting scholar at the University of Exeter in the neighboring county of Devon. One July afternoon, while she was making field observations (she’s a Cultural Anthropologist), I decided to take a stroll along the cliffs as was recommended by a friend. I set out from Boscastle, a small inlet village where one can enjoy the most delicious black currant ice cream, and I trekked up and down the cliffs for three or four miles before finally arriving in Tintagel. I had planned to continue on to Trebarwith Strand, home of the fantastic Port William tavern, but greatly underestimated the difficulty of the terrain.Along my walk I witnessed some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. The coast of this particular region of Cornwall is both majestic and peaceful. It is frighteningly powerful, but also loving and kind. It is the type of place where people have for years looked out over the sea longing for their loved ones to return. I hope this music brings you the same inner peace I found on my hike that day.This piece is dedicated to Neil and his sidekick Derek, without whom I might have been just another tourist.