Overture For Education

Composed 2018 - Revised 2019

Duration: 5 1/2 minutes | Grade 3 Concert Band

Overture for Education is an impelling contemporary work that is suitable for concert openers. It moves through a fanfare with an impelling force of melodies and a more majestic middle section that is meant to challenge the young musicians to go beyond their ordinary playing. This piece is the cry and call out for a new generation of young music.

This was one of the biggest projects during my college career. I wrote this piece during my final student teaching semester at Union Middle School in Rutherford. It was at a time where I was not only teaching but preparing for my senior recital and my EdTPA assignments. My collaborating teacher, Mr. John E. Brigante, asked if I would like to compose an opening for our spring concert. It was a project I was excited to take on. Overture for Education was premiered on April 4, 2018.

The recording below was performed by the University of Texas in El Paso Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Andrew Hunter. Recording was engineered by Professor Steve Haddad.

Special Thanks to the music organization "...And We Were Heard" for this awesome collaboration between the UTEP Symphonic Band and me!

"...And We Were Heard" is a program that connects underrepresented composers with wind bands to foster equitable programming practices through collaborative recording and digital dissemination. To learn more about their project, check out their information here: https://www.andwewereheard.org/