Today Is the Gift
Subtitle: For Brass and Percussion
General Info
Year: 2006
Duration: c. 3:50
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $75.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50
Instrumentation
Full Score
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V-VI, including:
- Agogo Bells
- Bass Drum
- Bass Sabar Drum (Lamb)
- Chimes
- Drumset
- Egg Shakers
- Lead Sabar Drum (Nder)
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Tam-Tam
- Tenor Sabar Drum (Mbëng-mbëng)
Players chanting
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
This exciting work demonstrates a fresh approach and unique vision for wind bands. Scored for brass and percussion with woodwind players contributing East African chant/singing, along with egg shakers, this composition is a tribute to the memory of Rosa Parks and her struggle for civil rights more than 50 years ago.
- Program Note from publisher
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Mrs. Rosa Parks' display of courage, December 1st, 1955.
Commissioned by the Midwest Clinic. Premiered at the 59th Annual Midwest Clinic, December 16, 2005, by Duncanville High School Band, Dr. Tom Shine, Conductor.
- Program Note from score
“Tomorrow is a mystery. Yesterday is history. Today is the gift.”
— African proverb
On December 1, 1955, Mrs. Rosa Parks displayed a level of courage that only the intrinsic certainty of truth can inspire. Solely because of Mrs. Parks’ action, the contemptible “Montgomery Segregation Law” was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on November 13, 1956. On December 20, 1956, the city of Montgomery, Alabama was ordered to desegregate buses.
What few people know is that E.D. Nixon, then President of Montgomery’s NAACP, was waiting for just the right person (in particular, a woman) to violate the Montgomery Segregation Law. Rosa Parks was that person. Two women had violated the law earlier that same year, but their character was so publicly attacked that Nixon couldn’t build a case against that law with either of the women. Rosa Parks, however, was of impeccable character and was, therefore, beyond reproach. Mr. Nixon, who knew both Rosa Parks and her husband Raymond, told them that she was the one around whom the NAACP could build a case to end segregation. While the events of December 1, 1955, made it a dark day for those who believed in equality, to E.D. Nixon and the Civil Rights Movement in America, that day was “the gift.”
Now, as we celebrate the golden anniversary of the day that was “the gift,” we must always remember the power of one person who is armed with the truth, and we have the duty to carry on Mrs. Parks’ example. We must never let ourselves believe that even the smallest social wrong is acceptable or can be ignored. Rosa Parks chose to fight for one seat, on one bus, in Montgomery, Alabama. Perhaps this is best summarized in the eloquent words of Dr. Martin Luther King’s letter from a Birmingham jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
- Program Note by composer
Performance Notes
There are also parts for woodwind choir available for purchase. The piece can be played with the woodwind choir parts and the percussion parts without using any brass instruments. The instrumentation is:
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: Concord University (Richard R. Fischer, conductor) - 2007
- Audio CD: Duncanville High School Wind Ensemble (Tom Shine, conductor) - 2005
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Central Florida (Orlando) Sounds of Freedom Band (Chris Green, conductor) – 18 May 2023 (ACB 2023 Annual Convention (Orlando, Fla.))
- Metropolitan Wind Symphony (Lexington, Mass.) (Rick Wyman, conductor) - 3 December 2022
- Westminster College (New Wilmington, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (R. Tad Greig, conductor) - 30 April 2021
- University of Oklahoma (Norman) Concert Band (Brian Wolfe, conductor) – 23 April 2018
- Boston University (Mass.) Concert Band (Matthew Allen, conductor) – 28 February 2018
- Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa) Symphonic Band (Scott Munterfering, conductor) – 3 February 2018
- Baldwin Wallace University (Berea, Ohio) Community Music School Symphonic Wind Ensemble – 2017
- Duncanville (Tx.) High School Wind Ensemble (Tom Shine, conductor) – 16 December 2005 (2005 Midwest Clinic) *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Our Kingsland Spring (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2015)
All Wind Works
- Across the Halfpipe. See: Minnesota Portraits
- Ascend. See: Georgian Suite
- Alleluia (2012)
- Arabesque (2008/2009)
- Arrows (2014)
- As Winds Dance (2003)
- Autumn on White Lake (2010)
- Blessings
- Blue and Green Music (2011)
- Books With Blank Pages (2015)
- Bridges (2007)
- Chorus Angelorum (2009)
- Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (2008/2011)
- The Christmas Music of Samuel Hazo
- Danny Boy (as arranger) (2013)
- Diamond Fanfare (2006)
- Drums of the Saamis (2014)
- Each Time You Tell Their Story (2003)
- Echoes (2005)
- Enchanted Spaces (2012)
- Everything Beautiful (2015)
- The Stillness of Remembering (2015/2016)
- Exultate (2001/2003)
- Fantasy on a Japanese Folksong (1997/2005)
- For Heaven and the Future (2016)
- From Gold (2015)
- Georgian Suite (2002-2006)
- Our Kingsland Spring (2006)
- Our Kingsland Spring (Flex instrumentation) (2005/2015)
- Rivers (2002)
- Ascend (2005)
- Glorificare (2013)
- ...Go (2008)
- Hennepin County Dawn. See: Minnesota Portraits
- In Flight (2000/2008)
- In Heaven's Air (2002)
- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (2012)
- Jubilatéo (Fanfare and Allegro) (2013)
- Keltic Variations (2003)
- Minnesota Portraits (2008)
- Mountain Thyme (2013)
- Novo Lenio (2002)
- Olympiada (1997/2002)
- Our Kingsland Spring. See: Georgian Suite
- Our Yesterdays Lengthen like Shadows (2010)
- Parkour (2011)
- Perthshire Majesty (2003/2004)
- Psalm 42 (2004)
- The Quest (2002)
- Rest. See: Minnesota Portraits
- Ride (2002)
- Rising Star (2006)
- Rivers. See: Georgian Suite
- Rush (2006)
- Seconds Out (2013)
- Sevens (2005)
- Siorai September (2011)
- Sky Is Waiting (2006)
- Sòlas Ané (2006)
- Southern Hymn (2009)
- Stella Maris (2014)
- The Stillness of Remembering. See: Everything Beautiful
- Their Blossoms Down (2002)
- Three Concert Fanfares (2007)
- To Be (2019)
- Today Is the Gift (2006)
- Voices of the Sky (2005)
- We Meet Again (2010)
- Whisper to their Souls (2008)
- A Zillion Nickels (2015)
Resources
- Hazo, S. (2006). Today Is the Gift [score]. Hal Leonard: Milwaukee, Wisc.