Description

Rise is a Grade 3.5 piece for concert band. It came to fruition from a synth-pop piece I wrote in Reason, an AMAZING digital audio workstation. I started it in 2015, took a break, and finished it in 2022 after an inspirational Zoom conversation with the incredibly kind and insightful composer Alex Shapiro at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. The beginning of the piece represents the heart’s yearning for change, the “whys” we ask in the face of injustice.

Then comes the power of community, represented by this burgeoning woodwind ostinato interplaying with percussion, fighting against the machinations beyond our control that impose themselves on the greater good of society.  A collection of my influences, like R&B, big-band, and jazz fusion, provides a dynamic backdrop to the piece, leading the audience to a glimpse of a bright conclusion of unified, amped up voices.

I aim for listeners and the ensemble to hold on to what’s worth rising for, even if it takes a reminder from a kind person at a convention.

Perusal Score