Flying: 3rd Percussion

Flying earned its ASTA/NSOA recognition because it captures genuine joy without resorting to bombast or empty virtuosity. The orchestration sits comfortably for intermediate players while maintaining momentum and musical substance throughout its five-minute span, making it rewarding for both the stand and the audience.

Flying captures weightlessness and exhilaration. The music rises and dips with the buoyancy of wind currents, alternating between moments of serene, almost dreamlike floating and passages of pure, unbounded energy as the orchestra surges upward together.

This piece suits orchestras at the upper intermediate level who are ready for a concert work with genuine artistic merit. It works equally well for festival appearances and concert programming, offering directors a substantial original composition that students will enjoy learning.

• Maintain forward motion through the lyrical passages; resist the urge to over-sentimentalize. Burns builds momentum through sustained lines rather than sudden dynamic shifts.
• Balance the inner voices carefully in sections where multiple sections carry the melodic material simultaneously. These moments define the piece's textural richness.
• Let the percussion articulation breathe in support of the soaring lines. Avoid crowding the melodic material with overly aggressive accompaniment figures.
• Use the full dynamic range available to you. The contrast between quiet, floating sections and exuberant climbs creates the soaring sensation the title promises.

This is an ideal centerpiece for a spring concert or festival appearance, especially when you want to showcase your orchestra's musicality alongside more traditional repertoire. Its accessible difficulty and emotional directness make it an excellent choice for engaging audiences who might attend only occasionally.

• Sustaining lyrical phrasing across longer melodic lines
• Balance and blend within complex harmonic textures
• Dynamic control in both quiet and climactic passages
• Ensemble precision during rapid textural changes
• Artistic interpretation of programmatic imagery through sound