March of the SHADOWS
by Haley Woodrow

Grade 2 | 2:30 | © 2020

Although the Concert Band owes its origins to the performance of marches, today, after over one hundred years of repertoire to study from, I found myself asking what in 2019 exactly makes a march, a march? Composers these days freely cross boundaries without apology, as they should – after all, art and music must move forward. So, after reviewing typical characteristics of traditional marches, with their trios, break strains, lively snare and bass drum parts and many melodies, I decided to let myself write uninhibited by past formula, but with a clear homage to the genre of march.

March of the Shadows is my resulting creation for young band, whose title refers to the idea of following (as in my case, following the many composers of march who have come before me), and simultaneously referring to the overall dark, minor mood of the work. The work was commissioned by Consortium Director Matthew Hiller and the Young Band March Project in 2019. 

Recorded in Fall 2019 by the Manistee High School Symphonic Band and Andrea Mack