Band

(Also Finalist, The American Prize for Band Composition 2021)
Harelbeke, Belgium, 7th Int’l Band Composition Competition 2019, Third Prize,”Lifeboat Variations”
Kaplan Foundation Commission 2018, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, “Nigun Prophecy”
The American Prize 2015, Band Composition–First Prize, “Vignettes”
(Also Winner, 2013 Contests, Sul Ross State U., Texas; Hillcrest Wind Ensemble, San Diego)
The American Prize 2016, Second Prize, “Hill Dance”
The American Prize 2014, Third Prize,”The Last Stand”

Listen	Score	Title	Scoring	Dur.	Year
(live/studio)		Cornucopia of Rounds	concert band	12'	1976-80
Order This»		Wild extreme-variation fantasia, making a chopped salad out of 7 different rounds presented in different keys, through every kind of wacky distortion, manipulation, and agglomeration. Huge cosmic ending. (Coda is also used to end the Lifeboat Variations). Grade 5.			Notes»
MIDI LIVE		NEW Fire Banshee	concert band	9'	2020
Order This»		A fearsome nature portrait, building from a tiny wispy breeze through a recurring zippy Sand Dance to a full whipping gale in the high winds over a roaring grass wildfire (the Voice of the Banshee in the brass). All dies down after the peak; deceptive ending. Grade 5/6 (Grade 4 ossias provided). (May be combined with "Rain Dance" under the title "Savage Elements;" this pairing was Finalist, Coups de Vents International Band Composition Contest 2022, Paris, and Finalist, The American Prize for Band Composition 2021.)
		First to Serve	concert band	1'	2016
Order This»		VoxNovus Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: A Celebration of Service awardee. This short, high-energy fanfare-march is a salute to those who jump up and rush to help when disaster or misfortune strikes. The music is heroic, yet the harmonies in the middle section hint at danger as well. The ending is an exuberant burst of pride. Dedicated to the West Point Band. Grade 5/6. (Candid video of West Point Band performance.)
		Glockenspiel March	concert band	2'30	1968/97
Order This»		Sprightly, simple, honest, fun, old-fashioned gazebo novelty march. Big start, contrasts of choirs, soft-shoe sandpaper break, reprise given to the 3 glockenspiels (or bell lyras). Playfully pompous “I Love Lucy/Til Eulenspiegel” ending. Grade 4.			Notes»
HS U.		Hill Dance--American Prize 2016, Band Composition, (Second Prize)	concert band	6'30	transcr. 2015
Order This»		American Prize 2016, Band Composition, (Second Prize). Lively Bulgarian-style 5/8 folk dance up in hill country. Showy solos for Eb, Bb, bass clar. Slower middle with Jewish-flavor circle-dance tunes, almost drunk. Wild loud fast ecstatic ending building to full band. (Transcription of the original version for clarinet choir.) TWO sound recordings: (1) Woodbridge HS Band, Irvine, CA, Brad Harris, conductor (2) Middle Tennessee State University Concert Band, Dr. Reed Thomas, conductor. Plus: U. N. Texas/Eaddy candid video» (Set YouTube Custom Playback to 115% in Settings)			Notes»
[NotePerformer]		The Last Stand	concert band	7'45	2013
Order This»		American Prize 2014, Band Composition (3rd Prize). A statement from the heart of a conservationist, nature-lover, outdoorsman, and mountain man. A grim tragic lament over the senseless cutting down of a last stand of old growth pine forest. With farewell song, chainsaw chorus, clearcut march, crownfire, choppers, rain, and a hopeful hint of reforestation and the silva nova. Commissioned 2012 by the Western Plains Wind Consortium. Grade 5. Prize-winning recording was by the Santa Monica College Band, Kevin McKeown, conductor. Live Candid video, Metropolitan Wind Symphony, Lewis J. Buckley, Conductor.			Notes»
(V1.2 NO Narration/ NotePerformer) (v1.2 WITH Narration/ NotePerformer)	CONCERT NARR.	Lifeboat Variations	concert band, opt. narrator	16' to 21' CONCERT (+3 with narr.)	rev. 2019
Order This»		7th International Band Composition Competition, Harelbeke, Belgium, 2019 (Third Prize)."Every Person's Guide to the Band." Introduction and series of accompanied show-off variations, one for each different instrument or section, on the familiar round Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Wide range of styles and moods, high-energy cosmic finale. In the version with optional terse narration between variations, this piece is excellent for community or school audiences. Can also be played as a straight concert piece. (Several variations for outsize/special instruments are optional.) Grade 5+. Requires strong soloists. Video of Belgium premiere at the International Composition Competition Harelbeke, performed by the Royal Symphonic Wind Band Vooruit Harelbeke conducted by Erik Desimpelaere. Original version with Dutch narration. ________________________________ Video of composer explaining the piece for the Harelbeke Competition		Narration»	Notes»
v.2 (NotePerformer)	v.2	Nigun Prophecy	concert band with voices	9'	2018
Order This»		Rhapsodic variations on 3 common Jewish nigun melodies with a monumental coda echoing the call of the shofar. With optional band-member singing (or guest chorus), and optional added low drum line. Grade 4/5. Commissioned by the Kaplan Foundation for the Concert Band of St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Janet Heukeshoven, Conductor Finalist, American Prize for Band Composition 2020 Video of v.1 Premiere with composer's intro			Notes»
		Prime Time (Toccata Brillante)	concert band	11'	2000
Order This»		Bright, brash showpiece in 11/8 built on a fast down-leaping ostinato tattoo, with soaring melodies, crazed-canon variations, sleep cycle, big band jazz breakdown, full reprise, and prankster ending. Grade 5.			Notes»
(full band score)		PRINCIPLES (mixed chorus)	Chorus (SSAATTBB), baritone voice solo, concert band	32'	rev 2010
Order This» (piano/vocal score)		Secular oratorio, tuneful, populist, rousing, on themes of liberty, social justice, and religious freedom from Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. Accessible, thinking-person's patriotic music. Texts: His creed, Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, Declaration of Independence, epitaph, letters. Mixed chorus/band version. Now also available with Orchestra accompaniment; some keys differ. SEE WORKS/CHORAL page for orchestral score and sound samples. Also version with piano and percussion only.			Notes»
		1. Creed: "I Have Sworn"		4'
Mvt. 1 (v2 chor/piano)		Brilliant ringing opening, hortatory middle in polymeters on the evils of forced false religions; big unresolved cadence.
		2. Our Civil Rights		3'
Mvt. 2-3 (solo bar., v2 chor/piano)		Bitter, dignified solo elaboration of the relationship between religious choice and civil rights. Choral echos. Grim ending.
		3. The Opinions of Men		2'
		Serious, energetic repudiation of government control of opinion.
		3a. We Do Enact		4'
		Pure choral, gentle psalm/prayer-style statement of the Statute.
		4. The Truth is Great (fugue)		2'
Mvt. 4 (chorus a cappella)		Tight, lively, chromatic rhetorical fugue on Truth. (Possible a cappella.)
		5. Rebellion to Tyrants		2'
(MIDI Band + voice)		Shay's Rebellion letter, solo recitative.
		6. We Hold These Truths		6'
(MIDI band + vox)		Taut, dramatic setting of the salient parts of the Declaration of Independence with brave, strong, inspiring conclusion, bright joyous brass tattoo outburst after "sacred honor".
		6a. Here Was Buried		1'
(MIDI band + vox)		Solemn unison recitative over pedal tone, on his self-penned epitaph.
		7. All Eyes Are Opened		8'
(MIDI band + vox)		Populist, revival-style exhortation to remember and honor the Principles of the Declaration. Several band interludes, drum section break. Big peroration on the refrain, "All Eyes are Opened to the Rights of Man," skyrocket ending.
(full band score)		PRINCIPLES (men's chorus)	Men's chorus (TTTTBBBB), baritone voice solo, concert band	32'	1993-4 rev. 2014
Order This» (piano/vocal score)		Secular oratorio. Original male chorus version, written for the Singing Sgts. and the top USAF band, DC.			Notes» Lyrics»
	(MIDI)	1. Creed: "I Have Sworn"		4'
		Brilliant ringing opening, hortatory middle in polymeters on the evils of forced false religions; big unresolved cadence.
		2. Our Civil Rights		3'
(voice/piano)		Bitter, dignified solo elaboration of the relationship between religious choice and civil rights. Choral echos. Grim ending.
		3. The Opinions of Men		2'
(MIDI)		Serious, energetic repudiation of government control of opinion.
		3a. We Do Enact		4'
(MIDI)		Pure choral, gentle psalm/prayer-style statement of the Statute.
		4. The Truth is Great (fugue)		2'
(MIDI)		Tight, lively, chromatic rhetorical fugue on Truth. (Possible a cappella.)
		5. Rebellion to Tyrants		2'
(MIDI + voice)		Shay's Rebellion letter, solo recitative.
		6. We Hold These Truths		6'
(MIDI)		Taut, dramatic setting of the salient parts of the Declaration of Independence with brave, strong, inspiring conclusion, bright joyous brass tattoo outburst after "sacred honor".
		6a. Here Was Buried		1'
(MIDI)		Solemn unison recitative over pedal tone, on his self-penned epitaph.
		7. All Eyes Are Opened		8'
(MIDI)		Populist, revival-style exhortation to remember and honor the Principles of the Declaration. Several band interludes, drum section break. Big peroration on the refrain, "All Eyes are Opened to the Rights of Man," skyrocket ending.
MIDI LIVE		NEW Rain Dance	concert band	6'	2020
Order This»		A bitter slow-dance drought piece, dry and dissonant almost throughout, with a few moments of moist semi-sweetness near the end. Spooky start and end. Grade 4/5. (May be combined with "Fire Banshee" under the title "Savage Elements;" this pairing was Finalist, Coups de Vents International Band Composition Contest 2022, Paris, and Finalist, The American Prize for Band Composition 2021.
		Siege	concert band	7'30	1969, rev. 2016
Order This»		Lyrical, dark, moody, dramatic tone poem, modern-tonal, built on two themes, using the full resources of the band. Episodes suggesting the night siege of a Medieval citadel. Form builds from slow rising contrapuntal tension in full band through energetic challenge in the brass, night watch, stealthy undermining and breach, sudden attack and glorious victory, winding down to a tragic quiet lament with a slow bittersweet ending.			Notes»
v.2	v.2	Spring Rondo	concert band	8'	1971
Order This»		Lively, colorful, euphonious, fast-dancing, rhythmic, varied rondo form with changing polymeters and a hot ending. (Band scoring of the Brass Rondo) Grade 5.			Notes»
		StarGazers	concert band	4'15 total	2015
Order This»		A pair of short color/character miniatures expressing our yearning for the stars–first in helpless awe-struck Earthbound stargazing, and then in our relentless over-reaching technical audacity.
		1. Starry Night		1'30
		Slow quiet start with a soaring tune, high canonic tapestry, blazing starry dome of night, big brassy cadence and twinkle ending.
		2. Galaxy		2'45
		Illuminates the impulse to soar to the stars. Slow, high, expansive, floating opening, speed-up to space adventure march theme, launch peak, romantic interlude, wild jump to warp speed , triumphant tonal close.
		Vignettes	reduced-instrumentation band	Total dur. 14'	2013
Order SET»		First Prize, American Prize 2015 for Band Composition Also Winner, 2013 Band Composition Contests, Sul Ross State University (TX) and Hillcrest Wind Ensemble (San Diego). Album of short, widely-varied, colorful, dynamic miniature character pieces. Can be mixed and matched or played in the original sequence. Fun to play and hear. Several are great for children’s concerts. Applies core instrumentation recommended in David Avshalomov's Community Band Instrumentation Survey Findings(Fall 2012 NBA and ACB Journals). For advanced high school, community/amateur, community college, and college concert bands. Grade 4+. Commissioned by an international consortium of 27 concert bands. Candid concert recording: Westchester Symphonic Winds (Tarrytown, N.Y.), Curt Ebersole, conductor
		1. Our Leader		0'30
		Buildup slow fanfare – flashy cadence
		2. Grotesko		1'00
		Stiff pompous march with camels
		3. Snowy Mountains		2'20
		Sierra postcard, sonorous wintery mood, rich end
		4. March of the Giant Robots		2'20
		Mechanical modern march in 5/4 with optional robotic player movement
		5. Tuskers		1'15
		Postcard from Africa--wild adventure ostinatos and buildup to the bull's-eye moment
		6. MoonSong II	(no brass-tuba cues string bass)	2'15
		High moon and breeze on mountain pines; slow, dreamy, poignant solo Clarinet 1 melody
		7. Dragon Dance		1'
		Postcard from Hong Kong: Crazed dragon festival parade with gongs and drums; firecrackers optional
		8. News, Weather, Sports!		1'
		Classic uptempo brash news logo theme with Disco beat, blaring trumpets and ending tattoo. ". . . . and . . . we are back live with breaking news!"
		9. Valentine	(brass optional)	1'30
		Sentimental arietta for a remembered love; Flute 1 solo
		10. Ice War		1'20
		Theme to a Medieval Battle Videogame; chopped ending or extended-fade coda (optional Viking helmets)
BAND TRANSCRIPTIONS
		Bach, Sinfonia, Cantata 29	Clarinet, Flute sections soli/band	3'15	1731/2013
Order This»		Bach transcribed the brilliant perpetual motion Preludio (in E) to his Third Partia for solo violin as an organ solo (in D), fleshing out an accompaniment for his standard festive orchestra (strings, oboes, trumpets, timpani) to create this joyousSinfonia. This re-transcription (in Eb) gives the solo organ part to the clarinet and flute sections, the organ pedals and orchestra parts to the band. Flute and Clarinet 1. 2. parts are Grade 5, band is Grade 4.
		Bach, Sinfonia, Cantata 29	Marimba (or xylophone) solo/band	3'15	1731/2013
Order This»		Re-transcription for band of Bach's own transcription of the Preludio (in E) to his Third solo violin Partia, for solo organ with festive orchestra. Here the solo part is given to marimba (or xylophone, or duet).
(full band score)		Beatles, SERGEANT PEPPER Medley	TTBB chorus + vocal soli; (or solo quintet), band (also with combo)	16'	1971
Order This» (vocal score/piano reduction for BAND prep)		Fun transcription medley from the Beatle's amazing first concept album. Created for and premiered by the USAF Band and Singing Sergeants, Col. Arnald D. Gabriel, Commander/Conductor. Can be performed with men’s chorus and soloists, or with amplified solo quintet of good vocal Beatles imitators. Also available with combo accompaniment.
	NJ	1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band	Recording: Orpheus Men's Choir, Ridgewood Band, New Jersey	1'30
	NJ	2. With a Little Help From my Friends		2'
	NJ	3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds		1'20
	NJ	4. It's Getting Better All the Time		1'45
	USAF	5. She's Leaving Home	Recording: USAF Band DC/Singing Sgts./Gabriel	1'30
	USAF	6. When I'm 64		1'45
	USAF	7. Lovely Rita Meter Maid		1'40
	USAF	8. Sgt. Pepper Reprise		1'25