Council Oak

David Gillingham

General Info

Year: 2002
Duration: c. 9:20
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $130.00 | Score Only (print) - $40.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V

Bass Drum
Bells
Brake Drum (2)
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Crotales
Gourd Shaker
Hi-Hat
Marimba
Sleigh Bells
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Tam-Tam
Tom-Tom (4)
Triangle
Vibraphone
Wind Chimes
Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

On the Seminole Hollywood Reservation in Florida, on the corner of U.S. 441 and Stirling Road, stands the "Council Oak" tree. During the long history of the struggle of the Seminole tribe in Florida, this oak tree was of special significance. When the Seminole tribe was faced with termination by the United States government, leaders of the tribe began meeting regularly underneath this great oak tree, which helped to breathe new life back into the Seminole tribe. In 1957, the U.S. Congress officially recognized the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Council Oak, commissioned by the Florida Bandmasters Association, was inspired by the significance of this tree and by the poetry of Moses Jumper Jr., who wrote a poem by the same name which chronicles the history of the Seminoles as told by the oak tree. The thematic material is taken from four songs of the Seminoles as officially recorded by Frances Dunsmore in his book Seminole Music and archived in the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution. Additionally, I have composed a new theme, which I call the Song of the Council Oak which is indicative of Seminole and Native American melodic/rhythmic style.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

Florida: VI
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
Ohio: OMEA High School Band AA
Tennessee: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio) Symphonic Winds (Ryan Scherber, conductor) - 4 February 2023
Valdosta (Ga.) State University Wind Ensemble (Benjamin Harper, conductor) - 30 September 2021
University of North Texas (Denton) Concert Band (Jack A. Eaddy, Jr., conductor) – 14 November 2018
University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Symphonic Band (Michael C. Robinson, conductor) - 13 April 2018
Los Alamos (N.M.) Community Winds (T. Edward Vives, conductor) – 21 October 2017
Broward Symphonic Band (Davie, Fla.) (Neil E. Jenkins, conductor) – 6 May 2017 (ACB 2017 Annual Convention (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.))
University of Illinois (Champaign) Hindsley Symphonic Band (Barry L. Houser, conductor) – 19 April 2016
Moanalua High School (Honolulu, Hi.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Elden Seta, conductor) – 12 December 2013
Buchholz High School (Gainesville, Fla.) Wind Symphony (Paula Thornton, conductor) – 19 December 2002 (2002 Midwest Clinic)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)

All Wind Works

Abiquiu (2010)
Aerodynamics (2003)
America the Beautiful (as arranger) (1882/2018)
And Can It Be? (2000)
Andromeda (2019)
Angels of the Apocalypse (2013)
Apocalyptic Dreams (1995)
Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Assurance
At Evening's First Star (2019)
At Morning's First Light (2004)
At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
Au Sable River Festival (2002)
Be Thou My Vision (1999)
Bells of Freedom (2002)
Beneath the Sacred Light (2015)
Bright Gleams a Beacon (2012)
Cantus Laetus (2001)
Century Variants (2009)
Concertino for Four Percussion and Wind Ensemble (1997)
Concerto for Euphonium, Winds and Percussion (2009)
Concerto for Horn and Symphonic Band (2008)
Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Wind Ensemble (1984/2006)
Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (2008)
Concerto for Piano, Percussion and Wind Orchestra (arr. Fisher) (2005)
Council Oak (2002)
A Crescent Still Abides (1998)
Crest of Honor (2005)
Double F Fanfare (2008)
Drums of Rwanda (2014)
The Echo Never Fades (2004)
Finale, from All Hail the Power
Fire Up
Foster's America (as arranger) (2003)
Foundations (2017)
Galactic Empires (1998)
Glorified (2010)
Heroes, Lost and Fallen (1990)
Homage (2012)
Home Again (2016)
Internal Combustion (1999)
Intrada Jubilante (1979/1999)
Jeju Memoir (2019)
Joyau (2019)
Keep Silence (2004)
Kentucky Home (2012)
A Light Unto the Darkness (1997/1998)
Lucid Dreams (2011)
Mansions of Glory (2007)
New Century Dawn (1999)
No Shadow of Turning (2005)
Point of Reckoning (arr. Daughtrey) (2015)
Providence (2003)
Quintessence I (1997)
Quintessence II (2006)
Radiant Moonbeams (2007)
Rising Star
Sails of Time (2006)
Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Serenade for Winds and Percussion (2000)
Set the World on Fire (2023)
Seven Bagatelles (2014)
Song Shall Never End, The (2014)
Sub-Saharan Rhythm (1998)
Symphony No. 2 (2007)
Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
Vintage (1990)
Vital Signs of Planet Earth (2015)
Waking Angels (1997)
When Speaks the Signal Trumpet Tone (1999)
While the Dew Is Still on the Roses (2013)
With Heart and Voice (2000)

Resources

Gillingham, D. (2002). Council Oak [score]. C. Alan Publications: Greensboro, N.C.
Perusal score