Description

This piece for young band was inspired by the sense of wonder one experiences when gazing up at a star-filled sky. The work opens with a fanfare, then settles into something lush and lyrical, written to inspire musicality in students.

Program Notes

Looking up at the stars on a clear dark night deep in the woods was something that I enjoyed doing with my sons during our Boy Scout camping days. It gave us a sense of wonder; a feeling of how small we are in the vast universe. This piece for beginning students was inspired by this sense of wonder as you gaze up at the celestial sky.

The work has a joyousness about it with the fanfare-type opening, but the main melodic material is lush and flowing. Well-shaped music lines will give the arch that I am looking for in a piece for younger students. It is always my philosophy to ask even the youngest of students to play musically; therefore, I try to write music that encourages that even at the start of their musical journey. They can and should be asked to make music from the start!

This piece could be a good opportunity to do some cross-curricular instruction by including some astronomy study while working on this piece with your students.

It has been my pleasure to have the opportunity to write this piece. I hope you and your students enjoy it and find it useful for your program.