Contest Piece for Wind Ensemble

Indeed. Whether G major is a "band key" depends on the skill of the ensemble. Personally, I just used it because it was convenient for the ranges of the brass especially.

There are a few hazo pieces that are written in odd keys. I'm not disagreeing with you in the fact that most band pieces are written in Eb, Bb, F. I'm just saying that if the piece is good enough, it'll path its way in the band repertoire.

Hazo, Whitacre, Ticheli, Holsinger, Mackey are all well-known living composers. Their works will do well regardless.
Their name lets them do things out of the ordinary.

Now, if you want to write for higher level groups than high school, do it without any concern about this issue.
But a work has to be pretty darn good to do well if it's in an atypical key and written for younger groups.
Enough about that.

I think it's a publishing/marketing scheme. Obviously publishers are impartial to pieces written atypical keys because they think it won't sell. But if you're into self publishing, obviously you can take certain liberties and still get your name around. Jonathan Newman and John Mackey are probably my favorite self published band composers that write what they please. but as you said.

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Most of the critiquing I had thought of has already been said, so now I'm just going to voice my thoughts.

WOW. So fun! The beginning reminded me of music from the Legend of Zelda so much. Definitely would be a difficult piece to get mastered. I see that you're a trombonist... some of their parts were pretty difficult! I commend you if you can play along!

But wow, it just felt so happy and lively; I'm not really sure what else to say! It was really enjoyable to listen to. I actually smiled at the end of it just because it made me so happy!

Wonderful work! Make this part of a larger work! And see if you can, by some miracle, find a band that can play it for you!

-Keegan

Though I enjoyed the piece, and you obvioulsy did a great job theoretically composing it, as an advanced brass player, I do not see the practicality in the rapid rhythmic tonguing. If a wind ensemble were to perform this, the accuracy would be very poor, unless an ensemble like the North Texas wind ensemble were to play it. Most wind ensembles would have extreme difficulty playing the rapid tonguing in unison very accurately.

cjr10291993, on 28 April 2011 - 12:41 AM, said:

It's difficult, but most definitely possible.

I felt that there is too much staccato motif in the woodwind,eg bar 33, in the music. I felt that they should be used less, so that other parts could be heard clearly and more colors could be brought out in the band. i also felt that could could thin out your texture, as it thick throughout the piece.

cjr10291993, on 28 April 2011 - 12:41 AM, said:

I'm going to agree with this, across the entire ensemble (woodwinds and brass) in that not only will it probably be inaccurate due to that much rapid tonguing tending to break down over time, but ALSO, that much extra effort in playing will cause players to run out of breath that much quicker (I'm looking at places like m. 60 in the woodwinds). Notes will be omitted by players so they don't pass out.

That said, relentless motive aside, the piece is very well-crafted and nice aesthetically. Tweak it a bit, to make it more idiomatic, and you have a solid piece.

Dev, on 31 May 2011 - 03:31 PM, said:

Dev reviews everyone's music but mine. . . I'm jealous.