Results
-
£159.20Chasing the Mystery - Kevin Houben
Commissioned by KU Leuven on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of KU Leuven.Chasing the MysteryKevin HoubenDedicated to the Wind Orchestra Universitair Harmonieorkest (UHO) of KU Leuven.Chasing the Mystery is the final movement of the triptych Beyond the Horizon of Thought.On the occasion of KU Leuven's 600th anniversary in 2025, the university commissioned Kevin Houben to compose a new work tailored to the Universitair Symfonisch Orkest, the Universitair Harmonieorkest and the Leuvens Universitair Koor. Maud Vanhauwaert, writer-in-residence during the 2023-2024 academic year, provided a poetic libretto.With Beyond the Horizon of Thought, Kevin Houben created not only a unique anniversary composition for more than 250 student musicians. The composition also conveys a universal message that perfectly reflects the spirit of the celebrating university: keep searching, keep developing yourself and keep hoping - even in turbulent times.From a compositional perspective, the work is built around themes and motifs with a clear symbolism. Kevin Houben explains: "I use a technique in which letters are converted into musical notes - a method also used by great masters such as Bach, Bartk and Shostakovich. This musical signature forms the basis of the melodic structure. In this way, 'KUL600' is represented by the notes D - G - E - F (re - sol - mi - fa)."The composition is conceived as a triptych: three movements that flow seamlessly into one another and are performed by different orchestral formations, yet together form a single whole. The work opens with the symphony orchestra, where the thematic 'KUL600' cells are introduced and explored. In this movement, Awakening the Wonder, several highlights establish a musical connection with the following movements.In the second movement, The Urge of Search, the choir sings a cappella to the poem Het is het by Maud Vanhauwaert, in which she reflects on the tireless quest for knowledge that has characterized the university for 600 years. Classical Gregorian techniques and traditional voice leading enter into dialogue with contemporary techniques, as the singers alternately whisper, call out and proclaim.Finally, the wind orchestra introduces the third movement, Chasing the Mystery. With a searching and anticipatory character, the orchestra presents the thematic cells in soloistic fashion, based on the main melody of the choral movement. References once again appear to the rhythmic 'KUL600' cells, which ultimately culminate in a grand apotheosis. A solitary soprano saxophone opens the finale with the 'KUL600' theme in its most intimate and meditative form. The expanded choir then joins the orchestra for an impressive final chord, musically preparing KU Leuven for the next 600 years.Beyond the Horizon of Thought premiered on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 April 2025 at LUCA Campus Lemmens, and was also performed on 9 May 2025 at Concertgebouw Brugge on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of KU Leuven. More than 250 musicians from the Universitair Symfonisch Orkest (USO) conducted by Edmond Saveniers, the Leuvens Universitair Koor (LUK) conducted by Kevin Hendrickx, and the Universitair Harmonieorkest (UHO) conducted by Erwin Scheltjens shared the stage.Cover illustration design: Grotezk Studio.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£72.99Yearning To Breathe Free - Michele Fernández
A gripping and emotional work about the journey and trials of immigrants searching for a new life.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£72.99Old Macdonald Had A Farm - Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson's setting of Old MacDonald Had a Farm has little in the way of documentation. It was written for and programmed by the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler, but it did not enjoy frequent hearings, so the setting was unknown outside of Boston. Conductors should feel free to feature animal sounds closer to home (for instance the sound of pigs in swine-rich Iowa or bison in Montana). To that end it is suggested that the members of the percussion section use their creativity to add humor and local color to this arrangement. This exclusive Southern band edition by Mark Rogers reintroduces Anderson_x001A_s enchanting work to new generations of audiences.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£89.99Highlights from George and Ira Gershwin's - George Gershwin
Strike Up the Band is a 1927 Broadway musical by George and Ira Gershwin, based on a book by George S. Kaufman. Surprisingly, the show proved to be an early failure for the talented Gershwin brothers, closing while the out-of-town tryouts were still underway. Despite this setback, it was revised in 1930 with a somewhat similar plot by Morrie Ryskind, and the show enjoyed a respectable run of 191 performances. This arrangement by James Barnes includes four of the best tunes from Strike Up the Band: Mademoiselle in New Rochelle (composed for the 1930 revival), Soon (also composed in 1930), The Man I Love, and Strike Up the Band. Curiously, The Man I Love, which is now considered to be one of the most popular George and Ira Gershwin standards, was NOT included in the 1930 run of the show.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£60.50Variations On A Theme By Grieg - Sandy Feldstein
Designed to give your best players an opportunity to play a solo with Band accompaniment. Using the famous Morning theme from the popular Peer Gynt Suite as the basis, a new composition is created that is a set of variations on this theme.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£64.99Graustark Path - Dan Adams
The work is a tribute to middle school band director Dennis Bartelheim, who spent his entire career teaching at Edgewood Middle School in Wooster, OH. Few people make this type of commitment to one school and one community, and such a noteworthy exception deserves the commendation encapsulated in this exciting new work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£47.50Countercurrent - Timothy P. Stakem
Conservative ranges, easy rhythms, and plenty of percussion make this an easily accessible piece for that first concert. There is only one line per part for all of the woodwinds and brass, so there is comfortable security for weaker players. It has a big, aggressive sound, so students are sure to enjoy playing this new and exciting work.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£60.99
The Throne Room - John Williams
Young concert bands can now experience the iconic and triumphant march from the final scene of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope while expanding their knowledge of chromaticism and triplets.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£151.99Out of the Dark - Thomas Doss
A Miner's TaleThis work is dedicated to the miners, who often had to perform their duties under the most difficult conditions, frequently risking their lives. Many lost their lives in accidents throughout history, and many families lost their fathers. A Miner's Tale describes the beginning of a shift, marked by the signal on the wooden board. The foreman and the miners begin their arduous work underground. Suddenly, danger strikes, leading to a terrible collapse.Trapped beneath the rubble, the miners are overwhelmed by fear, despair, and loneliness. Only their camaraderie and the memory of their loved ones keep them going. In the darkest moment, in the dim light of their fading mining lamp, a vision of Saint Barbara - the patron saint of miners - appears before them. Shortly thereafter, they hear the sound of approaching rescue. Overcome with joy and relief, they begin to hum the Steigerlied" in exhaustion.Bar 3 - The signal on the wooden board announces the start of a new underground shiftBar 10 - Glck auf! (Miner's traditional greeting: "Good luck!")Bar 24 - Foreman and miners - the shift begins Bar 62 - Hardships deep underground Bar 91 - Sudden danger arisesBar 100 - Fear of never returningBar 108 - Thoughts of familyBar 121 - Resigned to fateBar 132 - Vision of Saint Barbara and rescueBar 146 - "Steigerlied" - Homecoming and church bells
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
-
£60.99Sky Machine - Jorge L. Vargas
A fast-paced and vibrant composition that depicts an exhilarating journey through the skies in a futuristic flying machine on a newly discovered planet. The rhythms, melodies, and harmonies are intended to evoke the exciting and captivating sensations of experiencing a new world.
Estimated dispatch 7-14 working days
View Music