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Category Archives: Concert Band

To the Rescue!

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RM554e To the Rescue! Stanhope CB
RM554e To the Rescue! Stanhope CB
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Price: $99.95Price: $109.95 
Composer: Paul Stanhope
Composed: 2008 Duration: 3.5 mins.
Instrumentation: Concert Band Repertoire
ISMN: 979-0-720083-55-1 Catalogue: RM554
Level: grade 3.5 Country: Australia

Performed live at Melba Hall by Grainger Wind Symphony

I have long been a fan of Warner Brothers cartoons and their music scores from the golden age of the 1950s and 60s. To the Rescue! is my response to an imagined cartoon-like scenario of a rescue with lots of hair-brained schemes, much ridiculous activity but little actual rescuing.

Musically, the piece is full of animated running semiquaver passages, replete with percussion effects straight out of cartoon-scores and lively, exaggerated pastiche elements. In the dying stages of the piece, the full forces of the concert band finally come together as one, and perhaps in a concerted last-ditch effort, a serious rescue attempt is indeed mustered! PS

Nett Interference

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RM553e Nett Interference Carter CB
RM553e Nett Interference Carter CB
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Price: $49.95Price: $54.95 
Composer: Taran Carter
Composed: 2008 Duration: 4 mins.
Instrumentation: Concert Band Repertoire
ISMN: 979-0-720083-54-4 Catalogue: RM553
Level: grade 3.5 Country: Australia

Performed live by Grainger Wind Symphony

Computer generated sounds permeate most Australians’ lives on a daily basis. Our ears are filled with the hum of computer fans, the click of computer keyboards and software chimes. Many of these sounds, particularly the sound of a dial-up modem, were the starting point for Nett Interference, a short fanfare for Symphonic Wind Band. The piece captures the hustle and bustle of modern life in Australia through its use of relentless and driving percussion parts and manic, hiccupping time changes. Superimposed onto these persistent percussion parts is a low brass theme suggesting, perhaps, that all is not right in this fast and modern world. Taran Carter


Jumeirah Jane

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RM552e Jumeirah Jane Abbott CB
RM552e Jumeirah Jane Abbott CB
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Price: $49.95Price: $54.95 
Composer: Katy Abbott
Composed: 2008 Duration: 3 mins.
Instrumentation: Concert Band Repertoire
ISMN: 979-0-720083-53-7 Catalogue: RM552
Level: grade 4.5 Country: Australia

Performed live by Grainger Wind Symphony

The term 'Jumeirah Jane' is a colloquial Dubai description of an expatriate woman who has accompanied her husband to Dubai and lives the high life in the lovely beach suburb of Jumeirah (pronounced Joo-mear-ah as in 'hear').  In the initial stereotype, a Jumeirah Jane spends her days at the gym, the café and ferrying her children to soccer and ballet lessons in between mani/pedicures and organising her staff.  Further research on chat-sites, blogs and information boards (which can be quite heated and opinionated – just google 'Jumeirah Jane') suggests that a Jumeirah Jane lives in Dubai with no understanding of her cultural environment nor inclination to learn.  At the most extreme (negative) end of the continuum, a Jumeirah Jane thinks herself above those around her.

This piece is a response to my initial observations of such women and a cheeky play at the imagined attitudes they have towards others in Dubai, strutting their stuff around the footpath with a superiority complex over people from other cultures who come here to work to support their families at home.  It is perhaps also written in response to my niggling fear that I may be thought of as Jumeirah Jane myself – because really, pedicures are lovely, I love my coffee and I ferry my children to and from school!  Perhaps I will have to learn how to spend more on designer clothes and stop work to strut my stuff at the beach and shopping malls!

This piece is dedicated to my little God-daughter Isobel - quite sure of the fact that (although beautiful) she will one day not become a Jumeirah Jane of Sydney! - KA


White Horses

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RM551e White Horses Orlovich CB
RM551e White Horses Orlovich CB
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Price: $49.95Price: $54.95 
Composer: Matthew Orlovich
Composed: 2008 Duration: 5 mins.
Instrumentation: Concert Band Repertoire
ISMN: 979-0-720083-52-0 Catalogue: RM551
Level: grade 3.5 Country: Australia

Performed live by Grainger Wind Symphony

White horses (for symphonic wind ensemble) was commissioned by Reed Music in 2008 with financial assistance from the Australia Council. While writing the music, I was inspired by thoughts of a rugged, rough-and-tumble seascape, with fresh, salt-laden winds transforming waves into myriad white horses.

The music begins and ends with plenty of triplets which provide an energetic mood and strong, forward impetus. The middle section of the work draws further on water imagery with the sounds of bubbling water scored in and around the instrumental music. - MO