Metamorphosis
General Info
Year: 2013
Duration: c. 4:25
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Neil A. Kjos
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00 | Score Only - $7.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bar Chimes
- Bongos
- Finger Cymbals
- Marimba
- Orchestra Chimes
- Sandpaper Blocks
- Shakers
- Sleigh Bells
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-Tam
- Tambourine
- Tom-Tom
- Triangle
- Vibra-slap
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The title refers to the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. The piece opens with a beautiful statement which then morphs into something new in the faster middle section. The triumphant final section emerges with lively percussion and ensemble swells, simulating the butterfly getting ready to take flight. This imaginative work ends peacefully as the butterfly floats off into the distance.
- Program Note from publisher
Metamorphosis is intended to trace the life cycle of a butterfly, beginning with a slow, beautiful melody (the caterpillar), followed by a faster, transformational passage (the caterpillar in the chrysalis), after which a new “butterfly” melody emerges, suggesting that the butterfly has taken flight. At the end of the piece, the opening material returns as the butterfly floats off into the distance.
Although the piece was intended to be about the life cycle of a butterfly, it occurred to the composer that this whole idea of transformation and metamorphosis applies just as easily to our own development as humans, from our innocent childhood through adolescence to the point at which we ourselves “take flight.”
- Program Note by the Canyon Ridge Middle School Honor Band concert program 19 December 2014
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- University of Oklahoma (Norman) Symphony Band (unconducted) - 21 April 2023
- Keller (Tx.) Middle School Band (David Puckett, conductor) – 11 February 2022 (2022 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
- University of Wisconsin-Parkside Community Band (Laura Rexroth, conductor) - 9 December 2021
- The Ohio State University (Columbus) Honors Gray Symphonic Band (Christopher Hoch, conductor) – 20 January 2019
- Illinois State University (Normal) University Band (Marykatheryne E. Kuhne, conductor) – 26 April 2018
- Edison High School (Fresno. Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Robert Madrid, conductor) - 11 March 2016 (2016 Sutherland Wind Festival (Fresno, Calif.)
- Indian Springs Middle School (Keller, Texas) Band (Christopher Sebesta, conductor) - 12 February 2016 (2016 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
- Canyon Ridge Middle School (Austin, Tx.) Honor Band (Amy Alison, conductor) – 19 December 2014 (2014 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Alchemy (2008/2013)
- All the Pretty Little Horses. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
- Ancient Runes (2017)
- Apples (2018)
- Branden's Rainbow (1997/2002)
- Bright Sunny Days (2013)
- By My Side (2018)
- Casus Belli (2018)
- Celebration In Brass (1995)
- Concerto for Percussion (as transcriber) (1994/1997)
- Conversations with the Night (1994)
- Dance, from All Hail the Power (2002)
- December Dance (2005)
- Diamond Jubilee Suite (2018)
- Distorted Images: A Jazzman's Nightmare (1989)
- A Fallen Leaf (2004)
- Fanfare: In Memoriam (2015)
- Fantasy on a Theme by Sousa (2003)
- Frenzy (2010)
- The Four Horsemen (1989)
- A Glimpse through the Trees (2014)
- Grant Them Eternal Rest (2003)
- The Great Train Robbery (2017)
- Havener Fanfare (2012)
- Heirloom (2009)
- I Am (1990)
- In Flanders Fields (2020)
- John Henry (1990)
- Joyride (2003/2008)
- Kinetic Energy (1994)
- Kirkpatrick Fanfare (1999)
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2006)
- Metamorphosis (2013)
- Old Ben's Farm (2016/2019)
- On the Merrimack (2010)
- Ovations (1995)
- Phoenix (2020)
- Poor Wayfaring Stranger. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
- Relentless (2000)
- Scarborough Fair. See: Three Folk Song Settings for Band
- Scherzo (1995)
- Scherzo No 2 (2013)
- Shades of Ivory (1996)
- Simple Song (1995)
- Snowflakes Dancing (2012/2016)
- Song for Lyndsay (2005)
- Song for My Children (2013)
- Song for My Parents (2020)
- Song of Loudest Praise, A (2010)
- Song of the Sea Maidens (1994)
- Stamp, from A Jack Stamp Suite (2017)
- Star-Crossed (2013)
- Symphony No. 1 for Winds and Percussion (1997)
- Symphony No. 3 (1999)
- Symphony No. 4 (2006)
- Symphony No. 6 (2012)
- Symphony No. 8 (2015-2016)
- Symphony No. 10 (2019)
- This Is the Drum (2013)
- Thoughts of You (1998)
- Three Folk Song Settings for Band
- Poor Wayfaring Stranger (2007/2012)
- All the Pretty Little Horses (as arranger) (2014)
- Scarborough Fair (as arranger) (2013)
- Time Streams (After Tricycle) (2011)
- To Break Earth's Sleep (2015)
- Tricycle (1997)
- Twilight of the Gods (2010)
- An Uncommon Man (1993)
- Unraveling (2006)
- Urban Scenes (1993)
- The Vikings (2015)
Resources
- Payne, Phillip. "Metamorphosis." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 11, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 258-266. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2018.