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. The consortium consists of the following programs:

Wheat Middle School Band (Cleburne, TX), Faith Massey and Paige Hartley, directors
Canyon Junior High School Band (Canyon, TX), Eric Rath and David Lough, directors
de Zavala Middle School Band (Irving, TX), Melissa Colvin (Romano), director
Granbury Middle School Band (Granbury, TX), Michele Kahne, Larry Moore, and Tahlequah Kirk, directors
Hall Middle School Band (Weatherford, TX), Rich Bahner, director
Hillwood Middle School Band (Keller, TX), Jessica Maus, Zach Woolhouse, Dale Pfrimmer, and Jonathan Woodrow, directors
Keller Middle School Band (Keller, TX), Ryan Gaughan, and Alex Johnson, director
Monte Vista Middle School Band (Monte Vista, CO), Jason Paschall, director
Odem Junior High Band (Odem, TX), Nathan Williams, director
Prairie Vista Middle School Band (Saginaw, TX), April Robnett and Marguerite Bartek, directors
Smith Middle School Band (Cleburne, TX), Matthew Hiller and Sarah Middleton, directors
South View Middle School Bands (Edina, MN), Charles Weise and Megan Palmer, directors
Troy Middle School Band (Troy, MO), Max Meigel, director
Vista Ridge Middle School Band (Fort Worth, TX), Jennifer Alcocer and Josh Smith, directors
Wedgwood Middle School Band (Fort Worth, TX), Michael Dawson and Adam Kramer, directors
Winton Middle School Band (Winton, CA), Curtis Petersen, director

Recorded by David Robinson and the Tarleton State University Wind Ensemble