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Machine Awakes, The

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Steven Bryant

Steven Bryant


General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 5:15
Difficulty: II (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Steven Bryant
Cost: Score and Parts - $95.00   |   Score Only - $20.00


Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe (optional)
Bassoon (optional)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet (optional)
B-flat Bass Clarinet (optional)
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone (optional)
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium I-II (optional)
Tuba
Timpani (optional)
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Glockenspiel
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam(optional)
  • Vibraphone (optional)

Electronics


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

In this work for youth and/or community bands with electronics, experience the sounds of something not human waking up for the first time. From the opening swirling textures, one senses the first hesitant sparks of thought, attempting to find form and coherence. The new machine then comes fully awake, possessed of self-determination and unfathomable purpose. The electronics for this work are triggered from a computer via a self-contained program which is freely downloadable from the composer's website

This work was commissioned by a consortium of high schools and middle schools organized by Arris Golden. It received its premiere on May 10, 2012, by the Cedar Ridge High School Band, Hillsboro, N.C., conducted by Arris Golden.

- Program Note from publisher


The Machine Awakes is the sound of something not human (but of humans hands) -- something not entirely organic, but most definitely alive -- waking up for the first time. From the opening swirling textures, we sense the first hesitant sparks of thought, attempting to find form and coherence. This new machine -- sentient, aware -- comes fully awake, possessed of emphatic self-determination and unfathomable purpose.

The composer writes: “After the success of my first large work with electronics, Ecstatic Waters, I wanted to bring this sonic experience to young musicians. Creating music for beginners is a core part of my compositional mission, and with The Machine Awakes, I wanted to demonstrate that “classical” music can have the same visceral immediacy as music they are immersed in during their day-to-day lives, while hopefully providing a sense of the deeper structure and development possible in music beyond simple pop song transcriptions.”

- Program Note by the Clear Creek High School Wind Ensemble concert program, 20 December 2013


Media


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.))
  • Indiana University of Pennsylvania Symphony Band (Zach Cheever, conductor) - 9 March 2023
  • Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) Dorian Summer Camp Middle School Band (Cory Near, conductor) - 18 June 2022
  • Banda Sinfónica Juvenil Suena Santander (Bucaramanga, Colombia) (Rubén Darío Gómez, conductor) - 15 May 2022
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Concert Band (John Korak, conductor) - 6 October 2021
  • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Orchestra (Nicholas P. Waldron, conductor) – 8 March 2020
  • University of British Columbia (Vancouver) Concert Winds (Christian Reardon MacLellan, conductor) – 22 November 2019
  • University of South Alabama (Mobile) Symphony Band (Jason Rinehart, conductor) -– 26 September 2019
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta) (Concert Band) (Benjamin J. Diden, conductor) – 14 April 2019
  • Smoky Hills High School Honor Band (Salina, Kans.) (Carl Rowles, conductor) – 28 February 2019
  • Gettysburg (Penn.) College Wind Symphony (Russell McCutcheon, conductor) – 10 February 2019
  • Marywood University (Scranton, PA) Senior HS Wind Band Celebration Band (T. André Feagin, conductor) - 2 February 2019
  • Kennesaw (Ga.) State University University Band (Trey Harris, conductor) – 12 December 2018
  • Mukwonago (Wisc.) High School Symphonic Band (Emma Angoli, conductor) – 12 December 2018
  • Graceland University (Lamoni, Iowa) Symphonic Band (Chee Weng Yim, conductor) - 11 October 2018
  • Illinois State University (Normal) University Band (Marykatheryne E. Kuhne, conductor) – 26 April 2018
  • Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) Concert Band (Joseph Higgins, conductor) – 24 April 2018
  • Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, Va.) Wind Ensemble (Timothy Robblee, conductor) - 21 April 2018
  • University of Iowa (Iowa City) University Band (Aileen Sullivan, conductor) – 26 March 2018
  • Puget Sound Youth Wind Ensemble (Tacoma, Wash.) (John Falskow, conductor) – 25 March 2018


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Acklin, Amy I. "The Machine Awakes." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 11, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 285-291. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2018.
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