Pioneer Band Series
Grade II
Duration 2:30
Purchase Score Only
INSTRUMENTATION
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe (optional)
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bassoon (optional)
Eb Alto Saxophone 1
Eb Alto Saxophone 2
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet 1
Bb Trumpet 2
F Horn 1
F Horn 2
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Euphonium
T.C. Baritone
Tuba
Timpani
Keyboard Percussion (Bells, Xylophone)
Percussion 1 (Snare Drum, Bass Drum)
Percussion 2 (Tambourine, Sus. Cym., Triangle, Crash Cyms.)
PROGRAM NOTES
Downtown Dash is meant to depict a brisk 5K road race (3.1 miles) through the city streets surrounded by towering skyscrapers. The runners are all assembled behind the starting line, anxiously awaiting the horn or gun to go off. Because there are so many runners, even after the race starts, no one is able to move very quickly until the pack thins out. Each of the 3 miles in the race have their own musical character. During the first mile (m. 17) you are finally able to settle into your own comfortable stride. You start to pick up the pace a bit during mile 2 as the music moves into 3/4 time (m. 47). During mile 3 (m. 71), fatigue is starting to set in as you pick up the pace even more, depicted by the low brass taking over and moving the key into D minor. As you reach the last tenth of a mile (m. 93), the finish line is now in your sights, so you break into an all-out sprint to the finish.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Composer and percussionist Nathan Daughtrey (b. 1975) has distinguished himself in recent years as an artist of great range. Described as “fresh and imaginative” (Percussive Notes) and “evocatively crafted” (IU Herald Times), his works have been performed by individuals and ensembles of all levels at festivals and venues around the world, including the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the International Double Reed Society Conference, and the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic. With several awards to his credit, Dr. Daughtrey is the only composer to win 2nd and 3rd Place the same year in the Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest. He was also the recipient of 2007 & 2008 ASCAP Plus Awards. With over 50 publications for percussion, concert band, and orchestra, he is in great demand for commissions and clinics.
Dr. Daughtrey is also extremely active and sought after as a solo marimba artist and clinician. His performances have taken him throughout the United States and overseas to Eastern Europe and Japan, appearing as featured soloist with orchestras such as the North Carolina Symphony and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. His first CD, “Spiral Passages,” was released in 2001 and features original and adapted works for solo and accompanied marimba. Other recent collaborative recordings include Emma Lou Diemer’s work “Concerto in One Movement for Marimba and Orchestra,” Michael Udow’s CD “Footprints,” and Daniel McCarthy’s CD “Song of Middle Earth.”
Dr. Daughtrey is a Performing Artist and Clinician for Yamaha Corporation and Vic Firth, Inc.
