Stars on Fire. "To be born under a lucky star", ?To have stars in your eyes?, ?To be someone?s lucky star?, as well as ?To be all fired up?, ?To set the world on fire? and ?To be on fire with love? ? all of these are expressions that inspired Marc Jeanbourquin to compose Stars on Fire. Indeed, combining fire and stars could only produce a piece full of positive energy, of good vibrations, with a sparkling theme that is heard right from the first bars all the way up to its explosive finale. This makes Stars on Fire an ideal piece to open a concert.

The Last Queen of Egypt. Queen Cleopatra ruled Egypt for over 20 years. She is one of antiquity?s best-known women, in particular because of her relationships with Julius Caesar and, above all, Mark-Anthony, but also because the cause of her death remains a mystery. The work is split into three parts and performed without breaks. The first section begins with a bright introduction representing Mark-Anthony. Dynamic in nature and reminiscent of military music, this characterises the Roman general. But soon after, another theme emerges, softer and more melodic, symbolising Cleopatra?s femininity. The two characters then combine on a faster tempo. The middle section of the work depicts the love that Mark-Anthony and Cleopatra feel for each other. This passionate relationship lasted ten years and produced three children. This is expressed by a warm and intense theme, just like the beauty of the Egyptian queen. The third and last section opens in a determined and military mood. Mark-Anthony and Cleopatra were often apart, the Roman general was often away on a campaign. They met up in Alexandria to celebrate their triumph. But, as the targets of the jealousy and ambition of Octavius, Julius Caesar?s son, the lovers are trapped and await the inevitable conquest of Egypt by the Romans. When Mark-Anthony heard the false news that Cleopatra had committed suicide, he ended his own life. The Queen of Egypt, for her part, was imprisoned shortly afterwards. The two lovers remain one of History?s most famous couples. This piece was commissioned by the Wind Orchestra of the town of Antony, near Paris, directed by Philippe Rossignol, to mark its 90th anniversary.

To mark its centenary, the ?Musikgesellschaft Hinterkappelen-Wohlen? decided to commission a light-hearted work comprising different styles brought together in one setting. With this in mind, Marc Jeanbourquin composed a piece with a theme based on a short 5-note ascending motif. He developed this theme in various styles ? funk, ballad, Celtic and, finally, rock. Everything comes together at the end of the piece with this ?magical? ascending motif. Will the musicians conjure and retain a magical spirit full of energy and vitality through playing Magic Feeling? ? most certainly!

The Relentless Warrior. This exciting work was conceived as a musical portrait from the viewpoint of a lone ancient warrior, determined and focused on achieving victory in battle. Providing a foundation throughout is a relentless rhythmic pulse and driving ostinato. The meter of 7/8 provides a dramatic sense of urgency as various textures and moods are developed similar to the ebb and flow of battle. The piece concludes with a victorious major chord with the rhythmic ostinato driving to the very end.

Arr. Johan de Meij. Par HOLST GUSTAV. / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Centenary 2019 is a three-movement suite based on a local folksong and was commissioned by Chr. Fanfare De Lofstem, from the Dutch province of Friesland, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 2019. ?Awakening Village?, the first movement, musically describes the waking up and coming to life of the village. ?Bintje Monument? was inspired by a famous sculpture that was placed to honour headmaster Kornelis Lieuwes de Vries (1854-1929) who developed the well-known potato variety called ?bintje?. The finale, ?Journey into the Unknown? refers to the band?s memorable 2011 concert trip to the United States of America, in which the composer combines elements of the folksong and fragments from ?The Star-Spangled Banner?. The piece consists of a wide range of playful and melodic sequences as well as some galvanizing rhythmical passages.

First published in 1964 this dynamic work endures as a classic for young concert bands. Heavily influenced by the modal folk idiom found in early Welch and British band works this new edition features a full score and isdedicated by the composer to the memory of Dr. Frederick Fennell. Dur: 5:35 (Includes full performance CD)

Constructed between 1915 and 1928 the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41) provides over 260 miles of scenic Florida beauty between Tampa and Miami. On the Tamiami Trail reflects on this journey and pays tribute to the Suncoast Concert Band of Sarasota (along the trail) and its director emeritus Leo Laier. The opening fanfare sets the mood and leads to the energetic first theme. Subsequently a Latin influence is introduced along with an expressive middle theme before returning to the energetic flavor of the opening strains. A dynamic and varied overture for winds. Dur: 6:15

For C/Bb Bar.-Euph. and Band-This piece was commissioned by Swiss Euphonium virtuoso Erich Schmidli. Bert Appermont dug deep into Celtic music for inspiration and created a fantasy that shows off the incredible but often overlooked versatility of the Euphonium. Charming lyrical melodies virtuosic runs and exciting colourful tuttis create plenty of contrast in this exciting work. The difficulty level for the soloist and band means almost any band to perform this piece and showcase their Euphonium player.

This expansive overture for band takes the listener and performer on a varied path of moods and styles. The opening portrays the start of a new day full of wonder and promise. The second section represents curiosity in the world and paraphrases the hymn On Eagle's Wings. A lyric section follows featuring a solo for trumpet. The next section (The Glorious) is dynamic and powerful in nature before the piece winds down to a quiet closing section with a setting of Bach's Sleepers Wake. Dur: c. 7:40 (MusicWorks)

In celebration of mankind's connection to our planet Michael has created an extraordinary work for band using an intriguing array of composition devices and captivating melodies.Listeners are immersed in a simulated rainstorm the sounds of world drumming overlapping tone clusters and textures and finally a dance of jubilation as the piece comes to a satisfying and rewarding finish. Dur: 7:30

Walking To The Sky takes an epic cinematic approach to celebrate humankind's collective quest for wisdom and transcendence. It was inspired by a 100-foot Jonathan Borofsky sculpture which creates the illusion of a group of people walking skyward into infinity. With pulsing percussion heroic brass haunting melodies sudden shifts in dynamics and dramatic key changes everyone in the ensemble gets a chance to star in this exciting mini-movie score. To add even more grandeur there is an optional choir part (that could be played on a synthesizer). Dur: 3:45.

FlexBand Series-This work was inspired by the legendary American patriot and hero of the Revolutionary War. James Curnows popular three-movement suite is adapted here into a very effective format for incomplete ensembles. Dur: 6:15