For symphonic wind band.
Grade 3.
This light and celebratory concert overture was inspired by memories of my time as a member of the Glenfield College Concert Band in the 1990’s. The band, under the direction of John F. Lauderdale, won multiple gold and best-performance awards at national and international festivals and competitions, and formed the foundation of my musical education.
“FESTIVE OVERTURE” opens with a trumpet fanfare and rapid, ascending woodwind scales. The energetic fanfare motif is continued throughout the first section of the piece, with ascending melodic lines in oboe and euphonium providing contrast. A slower, more lyrical section follows, featuring a solo alto saxophone melody over a sparse woodwind accompaniment, later joined by the full band. Fragments of the fanfare motif are heard again in trumpets and upper woodwinds, although this time in a slow tempo, and with an echo-like effect. A reprise of the first section and a brief coda bring the overture to an energetic close.
