Into the Skies Above (Band Gr. 3)

The title Into the Skies Above is derived from the lyrics of the commissioning school's song, which likens the students to young birds taking flight into the sky of the future.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series: N/A
Level: 3 | Duration: 7:00

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)

Piccolo
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
B-flat Clarinet 3
B-flat 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 B.C.
B-flat Euphonium T.C.
Tuba
String Bass

Bells
Timpani (4 drums)
Percussion 1: Snare Drum, Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Tambourine, Wind Chimes

Program Notes
Into the Skies Above was commissioned by the Daini Junior High School Band in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of their annual concert.

I composed "As Spring Arrives" in 2013, and it was premiered by the commissioning junior high school band. Ten years after the premiere, a student from the band became a music teacher and contacted me to compose a new piece for her students. This is a private affair, but as a composer, this story filled me with deep emotion.

Premiered on March 24, 2024.

The title Into the Skies Above is derived from the lyrics of the school's song, which likens the students to young birds taking flight into the sky of the future.