At a Glance
Instrumentation: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 1 Oboe, 1 Bassoon (Optional), 2 Bb Clarinets, Bass Clarinet
2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone Bari Saxophone
2 Trumpets, Hornin F, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
5 Percussion: Scrap metal set, Metal trash can Wooden stool, bucket toms, Snare Drum, High Hat, Bass Drum, Tambourine, Maracas, and Guiro
Duration: ~5 minutes
Difficulty: Grade 3
Delivered: electronically by March 1st, 2025
Score Cover
All consortium members will have their name displayed on the inside score cover in perpetuity
Current Consortium Members
Paul Carter, Normal Community High School
In Depth
Philosophy:
A lot of works for young Bands right now focus on extramusical devises to create meaning for their performers. The goal of this piece is to create something that is fun to play for its own sake. I want to write a piece that helps students get excited about the act of playing music with others and connect with how fun it is to play their instrument.
Structure:
song form based on 2010’s dubstep and other structures from popular music.
Intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, (key change) chorus, chorus
Dubstep is characterized primarily by large builds and a drop. It juxtaposes duple and triple rhythms, switches between 1/8 note and 1/4 note triplets, and utilizes dense layering, minor tonalities, sampling, and lyrical gestures accompanied by intense rhythmic structure.
This piece will exhibit all of these features in a manner digestible for a grade 3 ensemble. Samples will be substantially distorted (thinking about quoting famous band works as my occasional samples—a short melody from first suite in E flat for example)
Because of the lack of lyrics verses will be differentiated by textual layers, orchestration, and modal center (A minor, D Dorian , E Phrygian, etc)
About the Composer
Andrew McGowan is an award winning composer and contemporary performing artist based in Urbana, Illinois. His career has led him to work as a composer, performer, athletic trainer, teacher, conductor, and brasswind repair technician. His works have been performed and recorded all over the United States.
Andrew strives to compose music that helps others to reconnect with what it means to feel alive. His compositions blend the styles of the past and present to find a sound for the future through a mixture of rigorously constructed form, intense rhythms, contemporary playing techniques, ancient tonalities, and often electronics. McGowan writes for musical ensembles of all sizes, film, podcasts, and contemporary media. Most recently his work has focused on Contemporary Chamber music, Jazz, and Cross-Cultural Improvised Music. Andrew was a 2023 Imani Winds Emerging Composing Fellow.
He holds a Masters Degree from the University of Illinois, a Diploma from Minnesota State College Southeast, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University where his studies have included Music Composition, Tuba and Euphonium Performance, Band Instrument Repair, Conducting, and Music Education. His other interests include Visual Art, History, Economics, Physiology, Psychology, anything that gets him outside.
