One of my greatest joys (and challenges) in accepting commissions is making every attempt to accommodate the musical, and sometimes extra-musical requests made by the commissioning party. I have found that these suggestions have sent me in musical directions I may never have considered pursuing, and am therefore immensely grateful for the many ideas that have been presented to me over the years. For this piece I was asked to consider using a hymn, and writing in a big-band or Dixieland style. Obviously, not all hymns lend themselves to such treatment, but spirituals by nature are often an excellent choice, and for me, "Peace Like a River" seemed the perfect vehicle to present in a variety of styles.
This setting opens with a feeling of floating on a river, and quotes part of the theme of another tune that references a river, "Shenandoah." The river's currents take the listener into unexpected waters through a sweeping key change, and then into a New Orleans style Dixieland band's rendition. A brief percussion interlude leads us to a "Big Band" style arrangement harkening back to the 1940's, giving way to a majestic conclusion.
Like a River is my the second commission I have written for the Pontiac Municipal Band, the first being Riverside Overture ten years ago in 2013, written for the opening of their new band shell on the river. While I did not choose the spiritual, "Peace Like a River" for the use of the word "river" in the title, it does somehow feel like a very happy accident! I certainly want to thank the band and their director, Scot Schickel for inviting me to write for this wonderful ensemble again.
One of my greatest joys (and challenges) in accepting commissions is making every attempt to accommodate the musical, and sometimes extra-musical requests made by the commissioning party. I have found that these suggestions have sent me in musical directions I may never have considered pursuing, and am therefore immensely grateful for the many ideas that have been presented to me over the years. For this piece I was asked to consider using a hymn, and writing in a big-band or Dixieland style. Obviously, not all hymns lend themselves to such treatment, but spirituals by nature are often an excellent choice, and for me, "Peace Like a River" seemed the perfect vehicle to present in a variety of styles.
This setting opens with a feeling of floating on a river, and quotes part of the theme of another tune that references a river, "Shenandoah." The river's currents take the listener into unexpected waters through a sweeping key change, and then into a New Orleans style Dixieland band's rendition. A brief percussion interlude leads us to a "Big Band" style arrangement harkening back to the 1940's, giving way to a majestic conclusion.
Like a River is my the second commission I have written for the Pontiac Municipal Band, the first being Riverside Overture ten years ago in 2013, written for the opening of their new band shell on the river. While I did not choose the spiritual, "Peace Like a River" for the use of the word "river" in the title, it does somehow feel like a very happy accident! I certainly want to thank the band and their director, Scot Schickel for inviting me to write for this wonderful ensemble again.