Stardance
General Info
Year: 2012
Duration: c. 9:30
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $85.00 | Score Only - $10.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo I-II
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II (I doubling B-flat Soprano Saxophone)
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Baritone
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:
- Bass Drum
- Bells
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Crotales
- Finger Cymbals
- Marimba
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tam-Tam
- Toms (2)
- Triangle
- Vibraphone
- Wind Chimes
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Stardance explores the effects of sounds and patterns as they interact within blocks of time, and also spatially within the performance hall. The opening section of the work finds brass and woodwind players placed around the auditorium performing prescribed notes and phrases, but in a random fashion. The audience is immersed in an otherworldly "stardance" of sounds and moods. A driving rhythmic ostinato, stated first by the percussion section and built using an irregular meter, propels the fast portion of the work. A group of soloists then present a freely stated commentary over an ethereal backdrop of richly sustained chords from the ensemble. The fast section returns with layers of patterns and rapid figures before the ensemble splits into two sections performing at different, yet simultaneous tempos. A random "dance" of sounds and rhythms gives the piece a final atmosphere of surrealism and mystery.
Stardance was commissioned by the Muskego (Wisc.) High School Wind Ensemble, directed by James Beckman and Jennifer Climer. It was premiered on May 8, 2012.
- Program Note from score
This innovative composition uses such uncommon compositional devices as unmeasured time blocks and duel tempos. The optional staging at the beginning places the brass and woodwind players except for tuba, bassoon and bass clarinet in the performance space among the audience. Much of the work is in an energetic 7/8 (quarter note = 160) with periodic meter shifts that keep it interesting. Later in the work a brief contrasting solo section in 4/4 (quarter note = 68), marked “Slowly, very freely,” provides a respite from the intense material that surrounds it and has solos for soprano saxophone, oboe (cued for clarinet), trumpet, baritone, and clarinet. Soloists are instructed to add bluesy inflections to the written figures.
- Program Note from The Instrumentalist, December 2012
Media
Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Keokuk (Iowa) High School Symphonic Band (Jesse Deese, conductor) - 15 March 2022
- Keene (N.H.) State College Concert Band (Eric Dill, conductor) - 22 February 2018
- Holy Cross Senior Concert Band (Ontario) - 25 November 2012
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Armed Forces on Parade (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007)
- Black Forest Overture (Flex instrumentation) (1996/2008)
- Born to be Wild (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1990/2006)
- Celtic Air and Dance (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007/2020)
- The Christmas Song (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1945/2011)
- Christmas Time Is Here (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1965/2003/2020)
- Circle of Life (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1994/2020)
- Down by the Salley Gardens (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2006/2017)
- The Forge of Vulcan (Flex instrumentation) (1997/2013)
- Highlights from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1994/2018)
- Imperium (Flex instrumentation) (1992/2020)
- Knights of Destiny (Flex instrumentation) (2000/2011)
- Pictures at an Exhibition (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1874/2012)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2003/2006)
- Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1937/2019)
- West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1957/2015)
- White Christmas (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1940/2006)
All Wind Works
- Across the Northern Sky
- Algona Crossing (2017)
- An American Salute (1989)
- Ancient Voices (1994)
- Armed Forces on Parade (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007)
- Aztalan (2009)
- Beyond the Seven Hills (1999)
- Black Forest Overture (1996)
- Black Forest Overture (Flex instrumentation) (1996/2008)
- Blue Mambo (2017)
- Born to be Wild (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1990/2006)
- Call of the Champions (as arranger)
- Cayuga Lake Overture (2006)
- Celtic Air and Dance (2007)
- Celtic Air and Dance No. 2 (2008)
- Celtic Air and Dance No. 3 (2011)
- Celtic Air and Dance No. 4 (2018)
- Celtic Air and Dance No. 5 (2020)
- Celtic Air and March (2014)
- Celtic Farewell (2016)
- Chester (as arranger) (2020)
- The Christmas Song (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1945/2011)
- Christmas Time Is Here (as arranger) (1965)
- Christmas Time Is Here (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1965/2003/2020)
- Circle of Life (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1994/2020)
- Coldwater Crossing (2010)
- Corinthium (1994)
- Crossings in Time (2006)
- Dance of the Spirits (2011)
- Dansbury Run (2013)
- Dialogues (2003)
- Distant Horizons (1995)
- Distant Thunder of the Sacred Forest (2003)
- Down by the Salley Gardens (as arranger) (2006)
- Down by the Salley Gardens (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2006/2017)
- Down to the River (as arranger) (2019)
- Due North (2014)
- Earth and Sky (2013)
- Earthdance (2010)
- Emerald Awakening (2012)
- Equinox (1993)
- Fanfare and March (2004)
- Fanfare and Presto (1998)
- Farandole (as arranger)
- Fires of Mazama (2005)
- The Forge of the Vulcan (1997)
- The Forge of Vulcan (Flex instrumentation) (1997/2013)
- Fractures in Time (2017)
- Gates of Orion (1997)
- Gathering in the Glen (2010)
- Great Movie Adventures (as arranger) (2006)
- Half Moon on the Hudson (2007)
- A Hard Day's Night. See: Selections from "A Hard Day's Night"
- High Water Mark: The Third Day (2002)
- Highlights from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1994/2018)
- Horkstow Grange from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as arranger)
- Hudson River Run (2020)
- Hymn to the Fallen (as arranger) (1998/2000)
- Imperium (1992)
- Imperium (Flex instrumentation) (1992/2020)
- Irish Rising (as arranger) (2016)
- John Williams: Movie Adventures (as arranger) (1977/1999)
- Kinesis (2004)
- Knights of Destiny (2000)
- Knights of Destiny (Flex instrumentation) (2000/2011)
- Lament and Tribal Dances (2001)
- Last Full Measure (2013)
- Legend of Devil's Lake (2011)
- Legends in the Mist (1996)
- Lincoln Legacy (1999)
- Lisbon from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as adapter) (1937/2017)
- Lost Lady Found (as arranger) (1937/2011)
- Marches of the Armed Forces (as arranger) (1991)
- Memory (as arranger)
- Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (as arranger)
- Moai (2017)
- Monmouth Overture (1999)
- Music from ''Les Misérables" (as arranger) (1980/1998)
- Music from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (as arranger) (1977/2016)
- Mystic Dance (1999)
- Night on Bald Mountain (as arranger) (2004)
- Northland Pines (2013)
- On Joyful Wing (2018)
- On the Edge of Tomorrow (2009)
- On the Wings of Swallows (2000)
- Out of the Shadows (2003)
- Paine Mountain Legacy (2020)
- Pantheon (1999)
- Panther Rising (2019)
- Particles (2014)
- Passages (2009)
- The Path Not Taken (2019)
- Pegasus (2001)
- Pictures at an Exhibition (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1874/2012)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (as arranger) (2006)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2003/2006)
- Pop and Rock Legends: Music of the Beatles (as arranger) (2010)
- Prelude and Pursuit (2013)
- Quad City Stomp (2008)
- River Rendezvous (2016)
- River of Hope (2009)
- River of the Ancients (2004)
- Rock, River, Tree (2015)
- Root Beer Rag (as arranger) (1974/1981)
- The Royal Tower (2001)
- Rumble on the High Plains (2005)
- Salute to the Duke (1999)
- Sawdust City Celebration (2013)
- Selections from "A Hard Day's Night" (as arranger) (1964/1999)
- Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (as arranger) (1967/2007)
- Shenandoah (as arranger) (2003)
- Shorewood Overture (2014)
- Silverbrook (2006)
- A Simple Song (as arranger) (2011)
- Sleepsong (as arranger) (2019)
- Song for Hope (2011)
- Southern Folk Rhapsody (2005)
- Southwind (as arranger) (2015)
- Spirit of Avalon (1998)
- Spring City Overture (2015)
- Stardance (2012)
- Strike Force (2007)
- Suite from "MASS" (as arranger)
- Summon the Heroes (as arranger)
- Swamp Rabbit Stomp (2016)
- Swing the Mood (as arranger) (1990)
- Themes from "The Black Panther" (as arranger) (2018)
- Themes from "First Suite in E-flat" (as arranger) (1909/2006)
- Themes from "New World Symphony" (as arranger) (1893)
- To Soar with Eagles (2013)
- Troy! (2009)
- Trumpet Tune (as arranger) (2001)
- Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1937/2019)
- Valley of Fire (1998)
- Variants on an American Hymn (2000)
- Viking (2016)
- Villages (2014)
- West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1957/2015)
- When the Sun Breaks Through the Mist (2006)
- White Christmas (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1940/2006)
- Wildcat Valley Fanfare (2017)
- Wilderness Scenes (2004)
- The Willow Tree (as arranger) (1995/2018)
- Woodland Odyssey (2002)
- Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (as arranger) (1949/2006)
- Year of the Dragon (2000)