Robert Sheldon

This processional-style march is an excellent choice for opening a concert or performing at a graduation ceremony. Correlated to Book 1, Level 5 of Sound Innovations for Concert Band, this piece is playable by young players in their first year of training. (1:30)

Take a journey on the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that linked the Far East with the Western world in this imaginative piece by Robert Sheldon. Exotic harmonies combine with driving rhythms and colorful percussion to create a soundscape of shifting sands and faraway lands. A solo alto saxophone references the sound of a Turkish sorna to open the piece, leading to the persistent rhythm and modal melodies. Finger cymbals, shakers, and hand drums help to represent the culture of this remote part of the world. (2:19) Correlated to Sound Innovations, Book 2, Level 3.

From its opening fanfare embodying moments of heroism and pride to its joyous journey of playfulness that expresses freedom and a passion for life, “Skydance” is a musical celebration of the human spirit.

A fast-paced tour-de-force for developing bands, “Spontaneous Combustion” explodes out of the starting blocks and keeps moving relentlessly to the last note. Presented in a minor key with shifting tonalities and tuneful melodies, this musical juggernaut eventually yields to a major key, which only amplifies its inherent energy. Mixed meters and bombastic percussion help to drive the piece to the very end.

The spirit of the pioneers comes alive in this tuneful composition based on the monument by Lorado Taft. Representing the sturdy and heroic family depicted in the well known statue of the same name, The Pioneers is a great addition to your band’s concert or contest repertoire.

Commissioned by and written for the Dixon (IL) Municipal Band, “The Stormchasers” is a march in the style of a circus “screamer,” featuring fanfares, flourishes and tuneful melodies, all played at a very aggressive tempo. Having been raised in Florida and attending the University of Miami, the composer’s nod to “Uncle Henry” is sure to bring a smile to anyone who is a lover of those great Fillmore marches. (2:00)

The unification of the Viking tribes is of great significance to the people living in the southwest region of Norway. The International School of Stavanger lies only one kilometer from a small fjord called Hafrsfjord where a monument, “Swords in Stone,” was constructed consisting of three large bronze swords stuck in an outcropping on the shore. The monument commemorates a battle which unified the Viking tribes of Norway under one king, Harald Hårfagre, or Harald the Fairhaired. According to legend, in 872 Harald invited the other tribal leaders to a meeting, then had his boats cut off their retreat and they battled until the other leaders submitted to Harald’s rule. Harald then became the first king of Norway. The Swords of Stavanger seeks to provide a musical backdrop to this legend of Viking heroism and conquest.