Description
LIGHTHOUSE ROCK - The waved crash against the bluff as the regular glint of the lighthouse beacon passes by: with a hard rock sea shanty feel, of course!
SHAKING THE SAND OUT - In your towel, in your hair, that pesky sand gets everywhere! A shake and twist inspired way to leave at least some sand behind on the beach where it belongs!
THE SEAGULL STRUT - The seagulls are strutting about with their beady little eyes on your meal, ready to execute their sneaky chip heist with a flurry of wings!
MARCH OF THE SOLDIER CRABS - Marching meticulously across the beach, tiny armies of soldier crabs pick through the sand looking for lunch.
SURF'S UP! - 60's California 'Surf Rock' vibes with those iconic swim-style dance moves signal 'surf's up!'
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My year 6/7 concert band students were so excited when they twigged they were learning a work I had composed (for a novice group in another state quite a few years back now). Like most band directors working with novice groups, I am well aware that a full compliment of level-competent players is indeed a wonderous unicorn!
At the time of writing Swimming Between the Flags, my band was small in number, had a range of abilities, and I had no Bb instruments in the group at all...(!) Predicably, my choice of repertoire was more limited than most; so, I asked my students one morning if they would like me to write a piece specially for them. They were ecstatic. I then said: OK, so what style would you like? Silly me for even asking, because, of course "rock" was pretty much the unanimous chorus back at me. So, rather than a single 'rock chart', I chose different upbeat musical styles to create 5 short movements that encourage development and performance of a range of skills (such as saxes moving quickly between C and D) - as I do love a good 'veggies hidden in bolognaise approach'.
Now that I am situated on Queensland's Gold Coast, it seemed apt to draw inspiration from the local surrounds and hopefully anyone that has been to or even only seen the coast on TV will find something in this suite that resonates! For those less familiar with Australian beaches, they are patrolled by surf life-savers that put out characteristic red and yellow flags that beachgoers can safely swim between and where help is at hand if someone gets into trouble: a lovely synergy with the novice band context, I thought.
Imbalanced instrumentation (and some ability part tailoring) is mitigated through flex scoring. The score is in part (1-2-3-4) and transcription order - not conventional score order. Parts keep close to novice player tessituras so ensembles can focus on developing holistic performance skills that include style, dynamic contrast, balance, articulation differences, and conveying musical stories accurately and authentically - rather than performing with a one-dimensional 'notes only tunnel vision', or crossing over into 'raucous-land' when performing more upbeat and popular musical styles. The percussion section can be two (as in my group) or many, and snare drum rolls can be omitted if needed.
P.S. my band has ABSOLUTELY LOVED playing this suite - their personal favourites were Lighthouse Rock and March of the Soldier Crabs...... what are yours?! - K.W.
Instrumentation:
PART 1A in C (high) FLUTE OBOE
PART 1A in Bb (opt.) CLARINET TRUMPET
PART 1B in Bb (low) CLARINET TRUMPET
PART 1B in Eb ALTO SAXOPHONE
PART 2A in Bb CLARINET TRUMPET
PART 2A in Eb ALTO SAXOPHONE
PART 2A in F F HORN
PART 2B in Bb (8va) TENOR SAX
PART 3A in F F HORN
PART 3A in C TROMBONE BASSOON EUPHONIUM BC
PART 3B in Bb (8va) TENOR SAX
PART 3B in Eb BARITONE SAX
PART 4A in C (high) TROMBONE BASSOON EUPHONIUM BC ELECTRIC BASS
PART 4B in Bb BASS CLARINET
PART 4B in Eb BARITONE SAXOPHONE
PART 4C in C (low) TUBA
XYLOPHONE (and/or marimba, piano) SNARE DRUM & BASS DRUM (can be separated out or duplicated) SUSPENDED CYMBAL & HI-HAT CYMBALS (one player or duplicated) TAMBOURINE (and/or shaker - optional)