Hello friends!  August is going quick, isn’t it?

The last few months I’ve been learning about orchestration but decided at some point that the best way to learn how is to put down the instructional material, sit myself down and try.  Orchestra music feels pretty far out of my current reality since I’ve never played in an orchestra.  Listening  Star Wars music or some good ‘ole Beethoven has me dazzled but isn’t something I know how to replicate at the moment.  (Maybe it’s because they are two of the finest orchestrators I can think of…).  Anyway, I decided that writing for something I know and can understand may be a good starting place: Junior High Band.  Not only did I play in one (french horn!) but my 1st son is currently in Junior High Band and my 2nd son will be there next year (shout out to trombones!).

This is what I came up with.  The best part of this project was that I felt way more invested in the process than finishing and sharing the product.  Writing music is just so dang fun!

This piece has changed titles a few times, from “Go and Do the Extra Mile” to “Go and Do” to “Polar Plunge” and now the one I settled on.  I learned that you can sketch out a story for music that doesn’t have words just like you can for a song with lyrics.  My story is essentially “The Little Red Hen” with a twist- the little worker flute is diligently working and her/his example causes the clarinet to join in.  Pretty soon you get to hear how the brass section feels about the idea of pitching in (spoiler: not good) and as the piece progresses, the instruments have conversations and eventually all the instruments get on board with the flute’s vision of working together- even the lazy trombone (listen for that change of heart in the last measure).  Enjoy!

The Little Red Flute