A commission for Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas. Brandon Lesando, Director Laura Bock, Assistant Director
Recently performed for the KMEA Virtual Convention.

A Hero Within

V is a concert suite inspired by the works of Kurt Vonnegut.  The piece is intended to capture the humor, melancholy, fantasy, and introspection often found in his novels and stories.  

I. Hapless Hero establishes a main character; a man whom, like many of Vonnegut’s heroes is the center of unwanted attention.  The movement explores an awkward melody shared among the various instruments of the ensemble.  Often the melody is placed in precarious tessituras of the instruments creating a sense of strain of instability.  Vonnegut’s main characters are often out through a strand of events that transfigure their perspectives.   To emulate these trials the melody is reset throughout the movement, and can be heard from multiple perspectives all at once. 

II. Unstuck frolics within the farcical mood of Vonnegut’s fiction. Vonnegut’s satire often examines the views of free thinkers, conformists, and authority.  Taking a cue from these views, Unstuck involves three separate motives that are all trying to find their roles in the music.  As the movement begins, the first angular and absurd melody is thrown around the ensemble symbolizing conformity. Next a more lyrical, almost out-of-place melody is introduced symbolizing free thought.  No sooner does it gain momentum before the lyrical melody is squelched by the first angular tune.  As the movement continues, the two melodies attempt to co-exist by overlapping in the texture.  Little by little, more voices enter, including the “hero” melody from the first movement. As the texture becomes unreasonably cluttered, a third melody enters in the mallet instruments: a dissonant siren, symbolizing authority. Eventually all the voices climax in unison as they strike a balance with one another to end the movement.

III. Storm  represents the villainy in Vonnegut’s works. In most cases, Vonnegut did not write villains as individuals, but more often, as cultures or tyranny.  The movement begins with a melancholy motive, setting a scene of despair. As the introductory motive subsides, antiphonal bass drums and trumpets build into a tirade of chaos.  The motive re-emerges as a theme of outrage. The ensemble is thrust into a series of impacts and tantrums, as multiple waves of attacks build to the climax of the movement.  It is only in the very end of the movement that the “hero” melody barely emerges from the ordeal.  

IV. Postlude:  So It Goes is a short elegy for Vonnegut, whose life’s work entertained, awakened, and inspired so many people.  Once again, the “hero” melody is layered into the texture.  However, in this movement, the melody has transformed from an awkward melody, to a more lyrical major-based tune.  After the journey the hero has come to terms with the world around him.  Although, at the core he is still the same person, he finds a new comfort and peace in the end.  

This recording is a live performance of the Peabody Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Harlan Parker in December of 2006.

V - Suite For Wind Ensemble

Composed especially for the Winters Mill High School Wind Ensemble (Westminster, MD), With Skies Parted is inspired by the warm sonorities that Ms. Kristen Gottleib consistently creates with her students.  

The piece depicts a mild, partly cloudy day; one in which the sun spends its time peaking from behind the clouds.   Thematically, the arcing chord clusters in the mid-voices represent clouds.  As the bass support underneath changes, it gives the same theme new meanings in each presentation, like clouds changing shape.  The flutes and metallics represent stray sunbeams intermittently reaching through the clouds, until the sun finally bursts forth, warming the landscape in a full ensemble melody.

This is a performance by the University of Northern Colorado under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Singleton.   Look for With Skies Parted to be distributed by Grand Mesa Music Publishers in the summer of 2016!

15 With Skies Parted

'The Rescue' is a grade 3 concert band work released by Grand Mesa Music Publishers (www.grandmesamusic.com). Performed by the University of Northern Colorado Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Singleton.  This piece has been added to the MD @ 2016 OH state festival lists.  The sheet music can be purchased here: www.stantons.com/sheet-music/title/rescue-the/GMM353/

The Rescue

Take Me Home, Country Roads with Auld Lang Syne and Going Home by Dvorak. Dedicated to our friend Glenn Patterson, who has been a tireless advocate for arts in Carroll County, MD. 

Sheet Music can be purchased here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/take-me-home-country-roads-digital-sheet-music/22472869

Take Me Home, Country Roads - Arr. by Brian Drake

Full Band Arrangement available at sheetmusicplus.com!!

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/enterprising-young-men-22472876.html

2020 Releases

Enterprising Young Men (from Star Trek)

This is a segment from a marching band show I wrote a few years ago.  I re-orchestrated my original sketch a bit in Logic.  It's proof that I should have been an 80's rock ballad writer.  

HEARTS

Here is another re-orchestrated segment I composed for a previous marching band show. 

LONELINESS

Written for Charlie Dougherty and the Damascus HS Symphonic Band, THE PELOTON represents the thrill and spectacle of a bike race.  The listener will hear segments representing The Start, Rolling Hills, The Breakaway, Descent Into The Valley, The Ascent & Attack, Finish Line, and The Podium.  THE PELOTON will be released by Grand Mesa Music Publishers in 2019.  Take a listen to the promotional recording!

The Peloton

This is a LIVE performance of Blink by the Carroll County Concert Band as a part of their annual Sousa Style Concert.

NOW available through Bandworks Publications!! 
You can order here: www.bandworkspublications.com/shop/blink/

BLINK represents how quickly our lives pass, in retrospect. From childhood to adulthood, to watching the growth of our own children, this piece celebrates life and how seemingly small moments in one phase take on larger themes in the next.

Blink (Live Recording)

A Soldier's Heart 3

Here are a few of my favorite moments from concerts I conducted at Westminster High School (MD)including:

1. Persichetti - Divertimento for Band
2. Grainger - Shepherd's Hey
3/4. Reed - The Hounds of Spring
5. Holsinger - To Tame the Perilous Skies

WHS 2001 - 2014 Drake

This is a fantastic performance of the Montgomery County (MD) Junior Honor band at their Honor Band and Orchestra Gala on February 4, 2017 under the direction of Ms. Terry Alvey.  The group is comprised of 7 - 9th graders throughout the MCPS school system.

Honors Band and Orchestras Gala Concert (February 4, 2017)

BLINK

Here is the new recording from Grand Mesa Music Publishers provided by The University of Northern Colorado.   You can purchase it at www.jwpepper.com!

The Winged Serpent

Here is the new recording of my upcoming 2017 release, 'By The Sword' (Grade 2) from Grand Mesa Music Publishers.  Once again, this sample track is performed by the University of Northern Colorado.

GMM Band 2017

By The Sword

HORIZONS

Written for the 20th anniversary of the Encore Music Camp in Maryland.  This piece celebrates the years of musicianship and dedication to music education.  Each phrase contains 20 beats in 4/4 or  5/4.  This is the Towson University recording under the direction of Chris Cicconi.  The title refers to the structure of 20/20…which some call “perfect vision.”  It also refers to the mission that the Encore organization set out on from their beginning.

Perfect Vision

This is my newest commission written for Mount View Middle School in Marriottsville, MD. It is in celebration of the school's 25th anniversary.  The band director is Jonathan Sindler and the premiere was conducted by director emeritus Shelly Williams on June 1, 2018

Second Star to the Right

A musical offering to one of my favorite podcasts: Brian Posehn's Nerd Poker.

NERD POKER

Roll for Initiative

This is Centennial High School's terrific performance of By The Sword at the 72nd Annual Midwest Clinic under the direction of David Matchim.

2018 Midwest Clinic

By the Sword

I’m a full-time instrumental music teacher that likes to create music and visual art.

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