Starting robust and full, this fast-paced concert and contest composition uses ostinatos with contrasting long melodic phrases and woodwind versus brass sections to develop listening and balance skills. A short percussion feature gives your students a chance to shine. With many places to stress phrasing and shaping, use this to build student confidence and interpretive skills. Duration: 2:40
Program Notes:
This piece is about a journey unlike any other in 2021. We have all been touched by the devastating effects of COVID-19, and we have seen friends, family, and many others succumb to it. For the people who are left behind this piece is dedicated to you, the brave warriors that have survived this pandemic.
The piece is set in Eb major with a 4/4 time signature. The beginning starts off robust and full, with the tempo at quarter note= 150. Measure 25 presents many opportunities for shaping to move the melody and counter melody lines around as the ostinato is being played in the percussion and low brass. I wrote mm. 43–51 as a “percussion” feature. I felt in my eighteen years of experience as an educator that we always have plenty of percussionists! Double students on parts if you have way too many. Overall, this piece has many places for beautiful phrasing and shaping. You will need to assign the students places to breathe in order to achieve maximum effort from the group. I hope you enjoy my new piece The Brave Warrior.
