Little Bush Buddha, The (Band Gr. 2.5)

It is possible that the Australian koala will become extinct in our lifetime. Only 61000 remain in the wild (and an estimated 60000 were lost in the 2019-2020 bushfires). Whether you program both sections of the work, or just play the luscious prayer, please consider raising awareness about this critically endangered species and help us protect them in the wild.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series: Emerging: Conservation Series
Level: 2.5 | Duration: 7:40

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (A4 spiral bound booklet)

Flute (upper)
Flute (lower)
Oboe
Bassoon (optional)
B-flat Clarinet (upper)
B-flat Clarinet (lower)
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

B-flat Trumpet (upper)
B-flat Trumpet (lower)
F Horn
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Bass Guitar

Mallet Percussion: Glockenspiel
Percussion 1: Timpani
Percussion 2: Bass Drum
Percussion 3: Cymbals (1 or more players)

Program Notes
The Little Bush Buddha is be listened to as if you, the audience, are the koala. The piece begins with an immersion of Australian bush sounds that are then interrupted by a passing car. The band emerges from these man-made sounds and erupts into a noisy, invasive scene (just as it would seem to the koala when earth-moving equipment moves in to urbanize a previously untouched landscape). From here, the piece changes mood. There IS hope for the koala, we just need to provide corridors for them to pass through our urban areas safely. The lulling chorale, reflective of the koalas sleepy disposition, softens the mood and demonstrates what is possible if we work to live alongside our native flora and fauna. Program notes provide QR codes to websites that will enable audience members to make a difference in their own way. This work was commissioned for the Intermediate band of St. Joseph's College, Geelong, Australia.