Columbia George Suite
Music by Steve Hodges
Grade: 2.5 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0000535
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Description
Columbia Gorge Suite is a composition with three distinct movements. The first movement is bold and brassy with fanfare-like motives throughout. The second movement is expressive and peaceful, with the flutes presenting the melody over an arpeggiated counter-melody in the clarinets. Movement three drives ahead energetically with a strong theme that is passed from section to section. The syncopated rhythms and the interplay between the winds and percussion bring the suite to an exciting finish.
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Additional Details
Series:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PK-0000535
More about this title
About the Composer: Steve Hodges
Steve Hodges holds degrees from Western Oregon University (B.S.) and Central Washington University (M.M.Ed.), with four decades of experience directing bands, choirs, and chamber ensembles across public school settings. Since 1986, he has composed over 120 concert band works published by Alfred Music, along with choral arrangements released by Staff Music and Shawnee Press.
Hodges's music has appeared at festivals and state conventions worldwide, with commissions from honor bands and schools spanning Virginia, Iowa, Winnipeg, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, and North Carolina. His compositions have been broadcast on TBS and ESPN. A member of ASCAP, Hodges now resides in The Dalles, Oregon, where he remains active in community music alongside his wife, Teddie, and continues to hear his pieces performed by his own grandchildren in their school bands.
Why we love this
Hodges crafts a three-movement arc that feels genuinely orchestral without demanding advanced technique. The first movement's brass fanfares establish character immediately, the lyrical second movement offers your flute section a moment of prominence with warm clarinet support, and the driving finale keeps energy high through rhythmic drive and sectional dialogue rather than complexity. It's the kind of piece that sounds polished at Grade 2.5 and doesn't wear thin in rehearsal.
What to expect
The suite unfolds like a confident journey: bright and ceremonial at the start, introspective and gently lyrical in the middle, then propulsive and rhythmically alive at the close. The writing lets younger players feel the satisfaction of executing contrasting characters and passing thematic material between sections, creating a sense of ensemble purpose.
Who it's for
This suite fits bands at the middle school and early high school level, or programs building confidence after foundational Grade 1.5-2 repertoire. Directors seeking a three-movement work that builds musicianship through distinct textural challenges will find a clear programming win here.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the fanfare-like motives in the first movement by letting the brass lead without overwhelming the supporting voices; clarity of articulation matters more than volume.
- In the second movement, shape the flute melody with a singing tone and allow the arpeggiated clarinet counter-melody to breathe underneath, creating a gentle conversation rather than layered thickness.
- Keep the syncopated rhythms in the finale locked between winds and percussion by using a steady subdivision and checking alignment in sectional rehearsals before full ensemble work.
How to use it
Open a concert with the brightness of the first movement, or use the complete suite as an anchor piece in a mixed program where you want to showcase both technical growth and musical maturity. The moderate grade level makes it ideal for a fall or spring concert when your band has built enough cohesion to manage three distinct moods.
Skills your students will build
- Executing syncopated rhythms with precision
- Balancing fanfare articulation and phrasing across brass sections
- Shaping lyrical melodies over counter-melodies
- Trading thematic material between instrumental families
- Sustaining contrasting tempos and characters across a multi-movement work