River of Stars

Barbara York

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General Info

Year: 2017 / 2019
Duration: c. 16:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Women's chorus and piano
Publisher: Cimarron Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $95.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
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
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This piece is not "sweet and twinkly" as one might expect from a piece about "stars". It is about vastness, movement through space, rotation, awe and even at times the calm in the middle of the storm. I used photos of the Milky Way and even Van Gogh's "Starry Night" as my inspiration for this piece. We are past thinking that space and the stars are sweet, twinkly, calm and always beneficent. This is a more contemporary view of our understanding of what we see when we look up at night.

- Program Note by composer

Written in 2019 for the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point bands, Michael S. Butler, director. Dedicated to Donald E. Greene and in celebration of the 125th anniversary of UWSP.

- Program Note from score

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Pittsburg (Kan.) State University Wind Ensemble (Andrew D. Chybowski, conductor) - 19 November 2020
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Michael S. Butler, conductor) – 22 October 2019

Works for Winds by This Composer

Hot Cross Buns Suite (2012)
Prophecies (2014/)
River of Stars (2017/2019)
Tuba Concerto (2004/2008)

Resources

Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Barbara York." Accessed 19 November 2020
Perusal score