Grades 1 - 3
|
Monthaven Waltz was commissioned by Tim Koly for the 2024 SMART Band Camp in Hendersonville,
TN. The waltz is named after a Hendersonville historic site, Monthaven Mansion, a historic home that once served as a field hospital for both Confederate and Union soldiers during the American Civil War. - Program Note by Andrew E. Lawson Length: 1'15" Grade: 1 |
|
Written in 1967, Duty, Honor, Country features a narrator reciting a portion of General Douglas MacArthur’s famous speech given at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on May 12, 1962. The speech is a memorable tribute to the ideals that inspired that great American soldier. For as long as American servicemen and women continue to serve their country as courageously and honorably as he did, General MacArthur’s words will live timelessly - a perfect fit for any patriotic concert.
While this arrangement largely adheres to the style and character of the original work, significant adjustments have been made to the orchestration of the work, including the removal of several instruments largely considered non-standard, obsolete, and/or difficult-to-come-by in the average school band program, such as the Db Piccolo, Eb Clarinet, and Alto Clarinet. These parts have been reassigned to instruments of similar range and timbre to maintain the character of the music. Additionally, the percussion parts in the arrangement have been expanded upon from the original to include the addition of mallet percussion, more complex snare and timpani parts, as well as more involved suspended and crash cymbal parts, suitable for a larger percussion section. Extensive cues and additional cross-section doubling have also been included throughout the work. Special cues have been included in the score for the narration. Length: 4'05" Grade: 3 - 3.5 |
|
Be Thou My Vision is a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish lorica that has sometimes been attributed to Dallán Forgaill. The best-known English version, with some minor variations, was translated in 1905 by Mary Elizabeth Byrne, then made into verse by Eleanor Hull and published in 1912. Since 1919 it has been commonly sung to an Irish folk tune, noted as "Slane" in church hymnals, and is one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom.
Length: 3:10 Grade: 2.5 |
Recording:
Liberty University Wind Symphony Dr. Stephen Kerr, Director |
FULL BLAST! was premiered by Dr. Stephen Kerr and the Liberty University Wind Symphony at the 2021 Virginia Music Educators Association Conference.
Program Notes: FULL BLAST! follows the exciting journey of a rocket launching into space. This piece is very much within the performance reach of Middle School bands, and may be an excited ride for younger band members learning to perform a bit of syncopation. With a minimalist approach, this short journey allows the band members to perform melodies and supportive material throughout the work. Length: 1:45 Grade: 2 Publisher: BrookWright Music |
|
Groove No. 5 was commissioned in 2023 by Dr. Jeffrey Phillips, professor of trombone and commercial brass at Belmont University.
Program Notes: Commissioned in 2023 by Dr. Jeffrey Phillips, Groove No. 5 represents the joy we find in moments of everyday life, such as (in the words of Dr. Phillips) dogs and cheap dollar-store flip-flops. This lively piece contains a joyous and uplifting melody in 7/8, a warm, peaceful chorale, and closes with another iteration of the dancing, slightly off-balance melody from the beginning. Length: 3'45'' Grade: 3 |
|
Into the Fire follows the journey into darkness and flame. The adventure begins with a solo flute, which introduces the main theme. Soon, the brass join and set the stage for a grand, dangerous adventure.
Into the Fire was written for Tim Koly and the 2025 SMART Band Camp in Hendersonville, TN. Length: 3'48" Grade: 3 |
|
Lullaby for Winds was commissioned by the Portland East Middle School Band (Portland, TN) and their director, Jim Geiger, in the fall of 2022. This lyrical selection contains two chorale-like melodies, both presented first by woodwinds and then later by the full ensemble.
- Program Note by Andrew E. Lawson Length: 3'28" Grade: 2 |
|
Commissioned by the Tri-Lakes Band Director’s Association to commemorate the 50th Tri-Lakes Honor Band Clinic in 2024, When I Behold, takes its title and inspiration from a poem written in 1802 by William Wordsworth.
My Heart Leaps Up by William Wordsworth My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I shall grow old, Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man; And I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety. This fanfare contains mostly original material, with brief references to For the Beauty of the Earth, a hymntune by Folliot S. Pierpoint written in 1864. The opening statements of heralding brass soon subside as the woodwinds present a pastoral choral, evoking images of vast fields. Soon, the heralding returns in a final crescendo to the end! - Program Note by Andrew E. Lawson Length: 3' Grade: 2.5 |
|
Salvation is Created, originally written as a choral work, was composed by Pavel Chesnokov in 1912 as the fifth in his Ten Communion Hymns (Op. 25). Although he never heard his own composition performed, his children had the opportunity following his death. Scored for six voices (SATTBB), the work is a communion hymn based on a synodal Kievan chant melody and Psalm 74. The original text reads: Salvation is made in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia. Following an arrangement by Bruce Houseknecht in 1957, Salvation is Created became a standard work in wind band literature.
Length: 3'10'' Grade: 3 ***This arrangement features full instrumentation with careful doubling to accommodate ensembles of varying sizes and instrumentation. |
|
Written for Tim Koly and the 2025 SMART Band Camp in Hendersonville, TN, The Forge is inspired by blacksmiths and the many sounds that can be heard in the forge. From hammers clanging on anvils to the swooshing of a furnace, the forge is a lively place full of danger and excitement as new creations are formed by the expert blacksmith hammering away!
Length: 2'11" Grade: 1 |
Grades 4+
Recording:
Roane County High School Wind Ensemble Zack Williamson, Director |
Fantasía Española was written for Zack Williamson and the Roane County High School Band in Kingston, TN during the summer of 2019, and was premiered by the Roane County High School Wind Ensemble in December of 2019.
Program Notes: The Phrygian mode is one of my favorite modes in music. In Fantasía Española you will hear a slightly altered form of the traditional mode, using a lowered second and raised third. It is the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale and can be heard in music from all over the world. Fantasía Española, translated as Spanish Fantasy, is inspired by traditional Spanish music and culture, but with a twist of my own. Length: 4 minutes Grade: 5 Publisher: BrookWright Music
|
Recording:
Tennessee Tech University Symphony Band Dr. Jeff Miller, Director |
Upon New Horizons captures the mystery and excitement of the transitions and new experiences of life in two contrasting themes, sure to stir up your sense of adventure!
Length: 4 Minutes Grade: 4 Publisher: Lovebird Music
|
|
Inspired by early works for wind band by British composers Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams, this charming concert work is based on an English folk song called As I walked over London Bridge. While I found this folk melody in a set of cello etudes written by Vaughan Williams, it was text that solidified my decision to use this melody, and it is the text that brings some insight into the nature of this folk melody, as well as the nature of the additional original melodies and harmonies throughout the piece.
Length: 3'16" Grade: 4 Publisher: BrookWright Music |
|
Exsultate is a jubilant fanfare based on the text of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate, the first line of which translates to "Rejoice, resound with joy!". This invigorating fanfare combines bold, stately themes in the brass, with woodwinds bursting forth in a flurry of energy.
Exsultate was premiered by Alex Kaminsky and the Vandercook College of Music Symphonic Band on December 22, 2023, at the 2023 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL. Length: 2'40'' Grade: 5 Publisher: Murphy Music Press |
Recording:
Liberty University Wind Symphony Dr. Stephen Kerr, Conductor |
The Weight of Glory was commissioned by Dr. Stephen Kerr and the Liberty University and premiered on March 18, 2021. The piece was written during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic as a response to everything happening in the world.
Length: 10 Grade: 6 Program Notes: While it is often difficult to describe the origins of a composition, the inspirations for “The Weight of Glory” come from a passage of scripture, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” My personal experience with these verses is one of great hope and joy. My response is a great shout of praise and thanksgiving. The main theme, what I am calling the “Affliction” theme, has been used in a variety of ways - both in major and minor form as an expression of both the many pains that life brings and of the joy that still remains. This theme begins with solo clarinet and soon finds its way across the ensemble. Alongside this melody and others, the hymn tune "Ein Feste Burg", better known today as "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" was chosen to be the ultimate statement of hope, joy, and grandeur. Written by Martin Luther in 1529, “Ein Feste Burg” has gone through several changes over the last 500 years or so. I have chosen to use the original form of Luther’s melody as the basis for the closing of this piece. |
Recording:
UGA Wind Ensemble Dr. Jaclyn Hartneberger, Conductor |
As Long As Stars Shall Shine has been written in honor and memory of Sarah DelBene, a close friend of mine and a student at UGA. The work was premiered by Dr. Jaclyn Hartenberger and the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble on April 21, 2022.
Length: 14" Grade: 6 Publisher: Murphy Music Press Program Notes: On December 2, 2021, one of my best friends, Sarah Delbene, suddenly passed away. We were all in complete shock. Sarah was a friend to everyone she met. She was a bright, shining star in every room she entered. In an instant, I was reminded of how delicate life is and how things can change at a moment’s notice. How do we deal with this - the loss of a friend or family member, especially when it is so unexpected? How does a composer tackle something like this? And why would a composer tackle something like this? In the following days, I was on social media reading some of the fond memories being shared about Sarah, and a comment stood out to me—this comment became the title of this piece, As Long As Stars Shall Shine. I soon went online and searched the phrase, finding that it was a line from the alma mater hymn at Baylor University, where Sarah had received her Masters Degree. At that point in time, I reached out to Sarah’s parents to ask if they would grant me their blessing in writing a piece to honor Sarah, and to try and capture some of the joy she brought into so many people’s lives. As I began writing, I realized that this music was meant to address, and had to address, a wider audience and tackle three different thoughts, presented in three movements: 1.Acknowledgement of Loss The first movement acknowledges loss of friends and loved ones. This begins with clarinets, soon followed by Flute, Euphonium, and Tuba solos with piano. This peaceful, still, calmness is then suddenly interrupted. The music wildly transitions into madness, a heart shattered by loss, a world unraveled by a sudden, devastating change. A more aggressive form of the original theme presented is heard from the brass. This is concluded by a setting of Nearer, My God, to Thee. 2.The Recollection of Memories The second movement represents all fond memories of those who have left us - the love and laughter remembered by all. A sense of adventure is in the air, soaring through our hearts and minds. The movement closes with an abbreviated statement of the original theme. 3.The Joy of Heaven Awaiting The third and final movement brings with it new joy of a saint gone home. This final movement is comprised of two hymns, Amazing Grace and Old Hundredth (Doxology), with hints of the original flute theme spread throughout. The final response of an earthly tragedy and a heavenly victory - a shout of praise and thanksgiving. As so many of us have experienced in our lives, the loss of loved ones, whether friends or family, is never easy and is often painful. We find ourselves saddened, angered, confused, depressed, in denial, and often reminiscent. We look back to remember our favorite memories - the happy, joyous moments. We recall stories of fun, adventure, thrill, and laughter. As Long As Stars Shall Shine is meant to convey the sense of hope, healing, and joy found in these memories. I hope that this music inspires every listener to take pause and reflect on those whom they have loved and lost. |
Recorded November 18, 2025 by Dr. Brent Johnson and the Murray State University Wind Ensemble
Consortium Members
Murray State University Wind Ensemble - Dr. Brent Johnson, Conductor Soddy Daisy High School Wind Ensemble - Joshua Light, Conductor Joel Denton - Leading the Way, Inc. Rick Murphy |
Grade: 6
Length: 22" Publisher: Murphy Music Press About the Music Symphony No. 1 - The Light Shines finds its origins in, of all places, a poem by the late author J.R.R. Tolkien titled Noel. This poem is one of Tolkien’s few explicitly religious writings and is focused on Christmas. The title comes from a passage in the New Testament, John 1:5, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." The musical journey taken throughout follows a path from the darkness into the light. This music is of a greatly personal nature to me as a person of faith. Throughout the work, melodies and motifs are borrowed from the 371 Four-Part Chorales by J.S. Bach and three traditional carols, Greensleeves, Coventry Carol, and Adeste Fidelis. While my original intention was not to create a Christmas-themed work, as the music evolved, it began to take on a journey from darkness to light, and more elements, including the use of traditional carols and hymns, began to be incorporated. I. Moderato (m. 1 - 201) The beginnings of Symphony No. 1 are in that of darkness, portrayed at first through quotations of the traditional English carol, Coventry Carol. From here, motifs derived thereof and other original material capture the gloom, melancholy, and bleakness described in the opening stanza of Tolkien’s poem. Elements of the first movement include soft, bleak moments, followed by quick, chaotic frenzies, bombastic brass, a fugal segment, and dark, majestic brass. The movement closes as softly as it began. II. Adagio (m. 202 - 314) The second movement is sparse in nature, portraying the vastness of the world and the bleakness of a cold winter night. The theme here, Greensleeves, which is presented in augmented and segmented form, is accompanied by bird calls and other brief disruptions mimicking descriptions of nature given by Tolkien in the poem. This is followed by a powerful surge of Greensleeves and is then diminished back to the nature theme, fading out to a single voice in the clarinet. III. Brillante (m. 315 - 420) The third movement is largely based on a choral from Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio - Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht (Break forth, O beauteous morning light). Presented in a sort of reverse theme and variations, the third movement begins with a jarring fortissimo statement in the winds and percussion, followed by a series of variations on the chorale theme in two distinct styles. These variations are followed by the chorale in its natural form, presented by a woodwind choir. IV. Gioioso e luminoso (m. 421 - 624) The final movement of this work takes themes from the first and second movements and presents them in a different light. Following these re-imaginings of established themes, we hear two quotes from movement 1, followed by a surge of flurrying woodwinds and percussion building to a triumphant statement of "Adeste Fidelis" across tutti brass and woodwinds. |