Not a great realisation but the idea is there. Still getting to grips with the whole realisation of MIDI. But anyway...

Aurora Borealis is a short piece of music composed for string orchestra and vibraphone

I hope you enjoy

Composition: Aurora Borealis

The Cotton Mill Worker was written for the 2014 Sonic Fusion Festival at the University of Salford. The piece was composed for brass band and features both narration of a poem and a number of sound effects both foley and extended instrument techniques. 
The poem used was written especially for this composition by local poet Peter Clarke, who also narrates the poem in the recording. The theme which is introduced on the Flugel Horn following a short atmospheric introduction, is based around the opening stanza of Peters poem, a technique I use throughout. The poem is based around the life of those who worked in the cotton mills throughout the North West, in particular my home county of Lancashire and the neighbouring county of Greater Manchester. The performance also includes sound effects by Sarah Angliss, and Sarah Hudson, these include the sounds of the moorland (Hudson), and the sounds of the machinery in cotton mills (Angliss).
I have since decided to use this composition for my applied composition module as part of my Masters portfolio.

Recording at Salford Sonic Fusion Festival 2014 - Salford University Brass Band, conducted by Brett Baker

Composition: The Cotton Mill Worker (Aaron Wolfe) - Salford University Brass Band

Rochdale Youth Brass Band Contest 24/10/2015
Musical Director: Aaron Wolfe

Conducting: Slaidburn (William Rimmer) - Whitworth Vale & Healey Youth Band

Rochdale Youth Brass Band Contest, 24/10/2015

Conducting: One Small Step (Simon Oliver) - Whitworth Vale & Healey Youth Band feat. Simon Oxford

Midi file


Londonderry Air was a piece I have always wanted to arrange for a brass ensemble, I therefore decided to write it for a tuba quartet of which I am a member. 
The most popular lyrical settings of this traditional piece of music is 'Danny Boy'. The lyrics for Danny Boy were written by English Lawyer Frederick Edward Weatherly in 1910, and set to the tune in 1913. I decided to write three out of the four verses (in terms of the 'Danny Boy' version).


Arrangement: Londonderry Air - Trad. Arr. Aaron Wolfe

Snowdrop Valley is a valley that surrounds the River Avill, which flows through Exmoor National Park.
Snowdrop Valley is very popular throughout February because the valley blooms with beautiful, blossoming snowdrops painting the area white like a canopy of snow. People come from miles around to see this as it is so picturesque. Coupled with the River Avill and the surrounding natural splendour of Exmoor National Park, it resembles something from a landscape painting.
It is these qualities I imagined when composing Snowdrop Valley. The image of wild animals and birds exploring the valley,  the river weaving its way through the beautiful landscape, before we reach the climax of the sun breaking through the trees banked against the river.

Composition: Snowdrop Valley

My main desire in composition this composition was to create a musical visage of time ticking away, possibly a countdown. The temple block is vital in creating this sound as it almost produces a like for like sound for that of a ticking clock. As the brass instruments are gradually introduced the music builds in tension, and becomes what could be described as organised chaos. When writing this I had in mind a city, people frantically darting in and out of crowds of people, rushing to get to work.
The instruments combine in unison for the first time following my depiction of the city/ the ticking clock, marking that the countdown has ended, the streets are becoming bare, this phrase repeats, depicting a few stragglers running by. Following this short passage, composition ends with the clock still ticking.

Composition: Tempus Neminem Manet

A One Way Journey came about from a desire to write a few experimental pieces for a string quartet which was visiting my area. There is not necessarily an intentional programmatic idea for this composition, however I have supplied programme notes to give my ideas behind the music.

I. The One Way Journey

The suite opens with the vision of a steam train picking up speed as it leaves a Russian town, its carriages stuffed with prisoners on their way to the Gulags (labour camps). The speed of the train gradually builds, before long the train is powering through mountains and woodland, coating everything around in a thick smog, decorating the trees black with soot.

II. Skirmish

The second movement adopts the staccato and frantic feel of the first movement and twists it even further. Here I wanted to depict the pain and anguish those on the train had suffered now that they have arrived at the labour camps. Some may have tried to escape resulting in death, some were worked to death. All prisoners in the camps suffered.

III. Death Surrounds Us

The final movement shows a stark contrast to what has preceded it. There is a sense of reflection and calm. I wrote this movement with the idea of creating a lament, I wanted a short a simple theme to represent those who made the one way journey to the camp. The piece ends with an echo, imitating the growing pain the camps were causing not only to those who were taken as prisoners, but also the families and friends of its victims.

Composition: One Way Journey

My first and so far only electronic composition. Plenty more coming in the future

Composition: Gran's Raspberry Jam

Aaron began composing music for brass bands during his A Levels at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar school. He has had three pieces performed by the Salford University Brass Band. One by The British Armies King Division Band, and another by the Fodens Brass Band as part of their composition competition final. Aaron is now a Masters student in composition at the University of Salford, under the tuition of Prof Peter Graham and subsequently Dan Price. 
Aaron is currently in the process of expanding his latest major brass band work, following the completion of his early brass band works 'The Journey of St Cuthbert' and 'The Cotton Mill Worker'. He also has a portfolio consisting of works for string orchestras/quartets, a short cinematic soundtrack for piano, string quartet, and drum kit, and also a number of arrangements for wind band, brass band, and tuba quartet.

Please feel free to contact Aaron at aarondavidwolfe@hotmail.com regarding his work.

Aaron Wolfe Music

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