Like its title implies, this highly aggressive work is based on a combination of invigorating melodies and a relentless rhythmic drive. Musical lines weave throughout the ensemble, soaring countermelodies take center stage, and an increasingly intense final passage takes the piece to an entirely new level. Simply put, this one is full of energy!
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Adrian B. Sims (b. 2000) is a composer, conductor, educator, and trombonist based in the Baltimore-Washington area. A student at the University of Maryland pursuing dual degrees in Music Education and Composition, he studies composition with Dr. Robert Gibson and bass trombone with Matthew Guilford of the National Symphony Orchestra. His work has appeared at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and earned recognition on the Bandworld Top 100 List, and he has won multiple composition competitions including the Maryland Music Educators Association Young Composers Project and the Make Music Young Composers Contest.
As a performer, Sims has played in pit orchestras, symphony orchestras, jazz ensembles, and concert bands. He was selected multiple times for the Maryland All-State Band in high school and has performed alongside the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He credits his development as a composer to mentorship from Dr. Robert Gibson and world-renowned composer Brian Balmages, as well as support from his high school band directors Christopher Gnagey and Cindy Stevenson.
Why we love this
Sims captures genuine momentum here without sacrificing musical substance. The countermelodies give your mid-level ensemble something genuinely engaging to play, the rhythmic foundation is clear enough for students to lock into but designed with enough drive to feel propulsive, and that closing passage gives you a real payoff moment that energizes the room.
What to expect
From the first moments, this piece grabs your attention with an unstoppable forward drive. Melodies soar overhead while the rhythmic foundation beneath them refuses to relent, creating a sense of building intensity that culminates in a climactic passage that reaches an entirely different emotional plane.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 2.5 level looking for a performance vehicle that combines accessibility with genuine musical momentum. Students in this ensemble will find clear, well-written parts that sit well technically while delivering the satisfaction of playing something that feels alive and propulsive.
How to get the most out of it
Establish the rhythmic pulse early in rehearsal before adding harmonic layers. Have students tap the foundational rhythm pattern independently to build confidence in the framework that supports the soaring lines.
Balance the countermelodies against your main melodic voice. These interlocking lines are the piece's backbone, so find the dynamic relationships in your first read-through and revisit them often.
Build intensity gradually toward the final passage rather than arriving at full volume all at once. Let students feel the cumulative effect of each section growing in power.
How to use it
Use this as a concert opener or centerpiece that immediately signals energy and engagement to your audience. Its contest and festival designation makes it equally valuable for adjudicated events, and its Grade 2.5 difficulty fits well in programming that showcases ensemble growth without overextending rehearsal resources.
Skills your students will build
Balancing thick harmonic textures while maintaining clarity of individual lines
Sustaining intensity and focus through a longer formal arc
Playing rhythmically complex passages that require ensemble precision
Executing dynamic contrasts that support structural growth toward a climactic moment
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