Gate City Snapshot

From Wind Repertory Project
Nathan Daughtrey

Nathan Daughtrey


Subtitle: A Journey Back to 1927 Greensboro


General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 3:20
Difficulty: II-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00   |   Score Only (print) - $12.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe (optional)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
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/ Baritone/Bassoon
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Bells
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tambourine
  • Triangle
  • Wind Chimes
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Gate City Snapshot was commissioned by Brent Davis and the 2011-12 Mendenhall Middle School 8th Grade Band. When I initially talked with the students (while they were 7th graders), I asked what sort of extra-musical inspiration they would want the piece to be based upon. We settled generally on the idea of trains, but more specifically on The Depot – a historical landmark in downtown Greensboro, NC. When built in 1927, it was the biggest, most elaborate station ever built in North Carolina with 90 trains passing through every day. For this reason, Greensboro was nicknamed the “Gate City.” Also opening in 1927 Greensboro was the Carolina Theatre – a 2,200-seat vaudeville theater that was considered to be the finest of its kind between Washington D.C. and Atlanta. This being the end of the vaudeville era, The Carolina Theatre quickly transitioned into a movie theater and was the first in the state to show “talkies,” including The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson. One of the most famous songs to come out of the movie was Blue Skies (1926) by Irving Berlin. Its chord progression provided the harmonic foundation for Gate City Snapshot.

Gate City Snapshot opens rather reflectively, transporting us to another era – Greensboro, NC in 1927. Imagine the excitement of hopping on a southbound train from Virginia to North Carolina to go to the movies at this spectacular new theatre. Now imagine that you've fallen asleep on the trip and awaken inside the movie on a runaway train. Do you have what it takes to stop the train in time before it hits the end of the line? Gate City Snapshot plays out like the soundtrack to an adventure movie, complete with the Hollywood ending.

- Program Note by composer


Commissioned by the Mendenhall Middle School 8th Grade Band, Brent Davis, conductor.

- Program Note from score


Media


State Ratings

  • Indiana: ISSMA JUNIOR BAND GROUP I


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Daughtrey, N. (2012). Gate City Snapshot [score]. C. Alan Publications: Greensboro, N.C.
  • Nathan Daughtrey website Accessed 30 August 2017
  • Payne, Phillip D. "Gate City Snapshot." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 9, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 155-163. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013.
  • Perusal score