New Music for 2025-26
I am delighted to share five new pieces available for Concert Band for the coming year. I invite you to take a few minutes to consider how these pieces might be beneficial for your ensembles to study and perform in the months ahead. It was a joy working on these pieces as it completed a journey for two of my older works, brought two commissioned works to a larger audience, and broke new ground with works for younger ensembles. Additionally, I am highlighting several older pieces that groups continue to enjoy working on and receive support from friends and colleagues alike. There is a great deal of variety between their styles, and each piece offers an enjoyable musical challenge for your students.
NEW WORKS FOR CONCERT BAND
Under the influence of ideology, patriotism, and even money, spies are motivated to take daring risks to access valuable information. Good spies sometimes escape the most harrowing situations with secret information intact, and great spies likely never been discovered being there in the first place. The ability to slip in and out of highly tense situations is something of art form that only master spies perfect. A highly placed government official might make a great spy to recruit, but so could the night shift janitor, or even a savvy band director…if the situation is right! “The Art of Espionage” is one such specialized journey full of mixed meter, tense moments of harmony, unique solo opportunities that include improvisation, and a slow burn to the end that uncorks in a powerful ending. The piece was commissioned by David Tini at Loyalsock Township Middle School (PA). This piece is at a Grade 3 level and published by Wingert-Jones (2025 J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice recipient).
Of Metal and Magic (Forging Gungnir)
In Norse mythology, Odin carries a might spear called Gungnir (pronounced “GUNG-neer”). No ordinary spear, Gungnir was created by the dwarves at the request of Loki. Dvalin carved runes into its point using magic to increase its power in battle. “Of Metal and Magic” is a sonic journey of the spear’s creation. Within the piece, the sounds associated with meticulous work of the dwarves are heard across the ensemble. The brass and woodwinds are required to tap a pencil (or wooden dowel rod) against their music stand – at points in a direct response to the rhythms of the percussion section. Percussion must use a brake drum (or low sounding metal clang) and the sides of the timpani bowls along with metal mallets on the bell set. The tempo at the beginning (q. = 120) needs to remain steady and deliberate throughout just as a blacksmith would methodically hammer away. There should be no excuse for students forgetting a pencil every day in band if you program this work! This piece is at a Grade 1.5 level and is published by Carl Fischer (2025 J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice recipient).
Four Captains (A Pirate Story)
The Golden Age of Piracy spanning from the waters of the Caribbean to northern coast of the United States remains an adventurous, colorful, and vibrant chapter in history. Charles Vane, “Calico” Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Edward Teach (more commonly known as Blackbeard) were four of the most recognizable and daring leaders within Pirate crews. After studying various captains and recorded accounts of these infamous characters while finishing up my suite “Pirates!”in 2009, I started sketching ideas out for a sequel companion piece. These sketches survived several computer migrations, software upgrades, and a change in employment. It was only after completing a work for choir that one of the melodies came back to the surface of my mind and prompted me to finish this tale with these four captains as the centerpiece. The story begins with Vane’s eulogy, followed by a daring rescue made by Bonny and Rackham, and is brough to powerful conclusion as Blackbeard arrives to whisk them away from Charleston (motifs from my original suite written for Blackbeard return in the brass). If ye have the heart for one more adventure with me on the high seas, this “Four Captains” be it me hearties! This piece is at the Grade 4 level and is published by RWS Music (2025 J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice recipient).
The music department at West Moreland (NY) has a wonderful acronym P.R.I.D.E. – Performance met with Responsibility, Integrity, Dedication, and Excellence. While music is the most important thing we do in band, at points it is important to acknowledge there are undeniable by-products that emerge that will serve a student through the rest of their lives. Directors who excel in emphasizing these areas recognize that it is founded on relationships they build with the entire organization and creating a culture that promotes excellence. Our music choices often form a symbiotic relationship with our students – while they work on the music, the music works on them. Kristin’s acronym works beautifully for her ensemble and program. “P.R.I.D.E!” is a single movement work with four distinct sections. The main theme undergoes basic variations in meter, rhythm, style, and tempo while retaining the basic melodic pitch set. Each musical element brings about a new aspect in the pitch set of the main theme, just as pride in our ensemble can be brought about through the various non-musical attributes we set as important in our band program culture. This piece is at a Grade 2 level and is published by Carl Fischer.
For fans of “The Last Stagecoach Heist”, please do check out “A New Sheriff In Town” available in the online store. A full post about the history of the piece is available for your perusal. It was a pleasure this spring working with Jared Daubert at Cedar Crest Middle School – his students gave a fantastic performance of this piece this spring!
OLDER WORKS FOR CONCERT BAND
Over a year that has proved to be challenging personally, I am reminded of the need for all of us to find “Resilience”. I hope this triumphant work will encourage any high school band director who fights the good fight for their students. Published in the aftermath of the pandemic, this piece is at the Grade 4 level and is published by Carl Fischer (a J.W. Pepper Editor’s Choice in 2021).
It is wonderful to hear how The Wellerman Come continues to populate concert programs. From the coast of Southern California to visiting with friends near Pittsburgh who programmed it this year, it’s a treat for the band and the audience to experience.
Huge thanks to friend and colleague Jason Worzbyt for including “Renaissance Round” with several honor bands over the past few years. For directors looking to work on unifying expression elements of articulation and shaping of simple line with an elementary group or young middle school group, look no further than this piece. Published by Ludwig-Masters, it is at the Grade 1.5 level but well within the playing ability of most elementary bands.
It was a pleasure this past year to visit with both Matt Tenaglia (Warwick) and Seth Keller (Hershey). Both directors programmed “Flourishing Noels” with their middle school group, and both groups were knocking it out of the park. The piece is one part “The First Noel” and two parts Vaughan Williams (“Flourish for Glorious John” and “Flourish for Band”). I am really appreciative of middle school directors who are using my other holiday concert band works like “A Winter Flourish for Wenceslas”, and “Sugar Plum Samba”. This past year it was a delight to work with Michelle Nelson’s group at Central Dauphin on my setting of “Greensleeves”, and several other directors reached directly to share how much they enjoyed “Jazz Kings”.
As you make plans for adjudication/contest/festival appearances with your ensembles in the spring of 2026, I would encourage you to check out the pieces below that appear on the following state lists.
Peat Fire Flame (SC Band Grade 3)
Pirates! (TN Band Grade 3)
Moravian Dance (OR Band Grade 3.5)
Resilience (WV Grade 4)
Sonic Ascent (VA Grade 1)
The Warrior’s Path (VA Grade 1)
Tales of a Medieval Warrior (AL Band Class D, FBA Band Grade 2, PA Grade 2, WV Grade 2)
Festival of Flight (LA Band Grade 2, MD Concert Band Grade 2, PA Grade 2, TX Band Grade 2-Complete)
We Go To Music (VA Grade 2, Texas PML)
Abalone Sunset (VA, Grade 2)
Eyes of the Dragon (AL Band Class C, MD Concert Band Grade 2, PA Grade 2, NC Concert Band Grade 2)
Winds of a New Day (WV Grade 2)
Irish Jig for Young Feet (PA Grade 2, WV Grade 2)
A West Highland Fanfare (IN ISSMA JH/MS Band Group II)
The Last Stagecoach Heist (IN ISSMA JH/MS Band Group II, MD Concert Band Grade 2, PA Grade 2, VA Grade 2)
Siege of the Dark Castle (MD Concert Band Grade 1, OH OMEA JH Band C, PA Grade 1)
American Visions (PA Grade 4)
Yankee Fanfare (PA Grade 2)
It is great to learn from directors and students what they have enjoyed about other works as they prepared for concert or a spring trip adjudication. This year I received positive feedback on works like “As Moonlight Falls” (Gr. 2 – MS, Wingert-Jones), “Hammer and Rail” (Gr.2 – MS, FJH), “Irish Jig for Young Feet” (Gr. 2 – MS, FJH), “The Shady Grove” (Gr. 3 – HS, Wingert-Jones), “Chasing Mercury” (Gr. 3.5 – HS, Carl Fischer), Pirates! (Gr. 3.5 – HS, FJH), and Metro Dances (Gr. 5 – HS/Collegiate, Wingert-Jones). Each piece contains unique challenges and styles all their own.
I appreciate all the positive feedback on the Compatible Wind Ensemble Concert Duets that were released last fall. Check back this fall for an exciting announcement on another project currently in the works with Carl Fischer! I always appreciate hearing if you are studying one of my pieces with your groups and would love to hear about their experience. If I can be of service to you and your students in the coming year, please contact me. As Director of Music Education at Messiah University, my schedule affords me to make visits for clinics both in person and virtually. The sessions can cover rehearsal critiques, composition advice, leadership, or even discussing one of my pieces should you find one that fits your group’s needs. Please contact me at your convenience if you are interested in exploring a date for a visit. To all band directors at all levels – I appreciate and applaud your continued diligence and dedication to instrumental education. Best wishes for a strong finish to your school year, a restful summer, and best wishes in the year ahead!
