Ash & Stone by Tyler S. Grant is a fresh and innovative work using a variety of textures and techniques that are unlike other works at this level. Colorful percussion, fresh harmonies, and evocative melodies depict volcanic activity that violently creates the ever-changing land formations through fire and fury. (2:15)
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Tyler S. Grant builds his reputation on works that balance technical innovation with accessibility across all ensemble levels. His compositions appear regularly on honor ensemble programs nationwide and have earned recognition including a 2014 Dallas Wind Symphony fanfare competition win. He has maintained an active commissioning and publishing schedule since 2010, with performances at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Beyond the page, Grant actively shapes music education through conducting clinics and ensemble residencies, working with over 100 school programs across 15 states. His teaching experience includes service as a contributing author for Alfred Music's Sound Innovations series. A University of Alabama graduate, he studied conducting with Randall Coleman and credits composer Brian Balmages as foundational to his artistic development.
Why we love this
Grant refuses to settle for generic Grade 2 writing, and Ash & Stone proves it. The colorful percussion writing and fresh harmonic language set this apart from the usual Grade 2 fare, while the volcanic program gives students a vivid musical story to inhabit without requiring orchestration beyond their ability. Programming this signals to your students and audience that Grade 2 bands can perform music with real compositional ambition.
What to expect
The piece erupts with volcanic energy, moving through shifting textures that feel raw and elemental. Colorful percussion punctuates a landscape of fresh harmonies and memorable lines, creating the sense of fire reshaping earth in real time.
Who it's for
Intermediate concert bands seeking Grade 2 repertoire with genuine compositional craft and a strong programmatic hook. Directors building a concert around thematic programming will find Ash & Stone an engaging centerpiece that demonstrates the ensemble's musical maturity without overextending technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the percussion colors carefully during the opening textures. These colorful touches define the work's character, so resist the temptation to bury them under the band sound.
Shape the evocative melodies with phrase direction rather than dynamic swells. Let the fresh harmonies underneath support the line naturally.
Prepare your students to hear the volcanic imagery as a collaborative effort. When percussion, brass, and woodwinds all contribute to depicting fire and fury, the impact lands with far greater power.
How to use it
Program this as a contest entry or festival selection where you want to showcase musical sophistication at Grade 2. It also works beautifully in a thematic concert pairing it with other programmatic works or geology-inspired pieces, giving your students a season-long lens through which to understand concert programming and storytelling.
Skills your students will build
Following program music and translating visual imagery into musical interpretation
Balancing exposed percussion writing within a full ensemble texture
Sustaining ensemble precision through shifting timbral colors and harmonic language
Responding to fresh harmonic movement and non-traditional Grade 2 voice leading
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