Everlasting Legacy, An (Band Gr. 3)

An Everlasting Legacy is an emotionally charged piece, dedicated to the passing of a beloved family member. Both performers and audiences can expect to experience moments of tranquility, tension, peacefulness, and discord, all moving toward an uplifting conclusion in the final musical moments.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Level: 3 | Duration: 5:15

Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
B-flat Clarinet 3
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1
Alto Saxophone 2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2
B-flat Trumpet 3
F Horn 1
F Horn 2
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trombone 3
Euphonium
T.C. Baritone
Tuba

Mallet Percussion 1 (bells)
Mallet Percussion 2 (xylophone, vibraphone)
Percussion 1 (snare drum, bass drum)
Percussion 2 (suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, tambourine)

Program Notes
My initial sketches of An Everlasting Legacy began as a motive, voiced by the clarinet in the opening, with supporting harmonies. As I continued to compose and dive deeper into the creative process for this piece in the fall of 2015, I kept asking myself, “What is this piece about?” It was difficult for me to combine all of the components, so I took a break from the composition. In December 2015, my wife's maternal grandfather passed away after an insidious battle with dementia. The Rev. Dr. Robert L. Hock, or “Pop”, as his family and I referred to him, was a Lutheran pastor and was very well loved throughout the southeastern United States. Hundreds of people attended his funeral, proclaiming that his legacy would live on through his former congregations and countless loved ones. In the days surrounding his passing, I was able to perfectly weave together my composition. In an effort to continue Pop’s legacy, the best way a composer can, I dedicate An Everlasting Legacy to his memory. Pop called me his grandson. From the first time meeting him in the early days of my wife’s and my courting, to performing our marriage ceremony and baptizing our son, he was such an integral part of my life. He was loved and revered by many, and he will continue to live on through the lives of those he served as a pastor, mentor, and friend.