- New!
- Band
- Percussion
- Orchestra
- Brass Band
- Jazz
- Chamber
- Voice
The Gang Gang Cockatoo, the faunal emblem of the Australian Capital Territory is under threat. The main reason being the elimination of very old gum trees. These trees offer much-needed nesting sites for the cockatoos. Whether or not you are in Australia, nesting sites for native birds is an important issue to raise. Use this rhythmic work, with a piano feature to transport your audience back into nature through sampled bird calls and inspire them to learn more about protecting native bird life in their local area.
Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series: Emerging: Conservation Series
Level: 2.5 | Duration: 4:50
Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (A4 spiral bound booklet)
Electronic Track
Audience Participation
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2
F Horn
Trombone/Euphonium
Tuba
Piano
Timpani
Mallet Percussion 1: Glockenspiel
Mallet Percussion 2: Xylophone, Wind Chimes
Auxiliary Percussion 1: Bass Drum, Whirly Tube
Auxiliary Percussion 2: Gong, Whirly Tube
Auxiliary Percussion 3: Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbals
Program Notes
...into the blue stretch of light... is inspired by the life cycle of the Gang Gang and other black cockatoos. When researching information for this piece, I happened upon a remarkable piece of footage taken by citizen scientists from the Canberra Ornithologists Group. The footage shows a juvenile male Gang Gang taking his first flight. I have since learned that this is (currently), one of only two Gang Gang fledging’s caught on camera. From here, my thoughts turned to nurturing, nesting and the enduring love and support offered by parents to their young ones. Hence the piece commences with small and still moments and develops to reflect the growth of the juvenile from their first flight into adulthood. A chance encounter renewed the Judith Wright poem “Black Cockatoos” to me and this flourished the ending of the work into a rousing soundscape. It is hoped the piece captures the wild nature of Australian cockatoos, their boldness, dignity and courage whilst celebrating the life of Jim and Nell Stenning and parents everywhere who encourage their children to fly.