Heritage: Concert Band Score

Heritage succeeds because it doesn't treat cultural material as decoration. The incorporation of Esan language, melodic themes rooted in Nigerian tradition, and West African rhythmic textures creates an experience that feels both grounded and expansive. Your band will engage with real music-making practices rather than a pastiche, and the work's revision history (originally commissioned for a national convention and dedicated to Harry Begian) speaks to its durability and respect within the wind band community.

Heritage unfolds as a journey rather than a spectacle. The work builds from intimate moments of reflection into passages of celebratory energy, all tethered to a foundational melodic voice drawn from the composer's own cultural heritage. You'll hear the bright independence of individual instrumental lines, the richness of layered rhythms, and moments of striking simplicity that land with real impact.

Bands at the high school and college level looking to expand their repertoire with contemporary American music that engages meaningfully with cultural material. Directors seeking substantial concert pieces that invite both musicians and audiences to listen closely and think deeply about the relationships between musical traditions.

• Approach the Esan language chanting as a serious musical moment rather than novelty. Spend rehearsal time clarifying pronunciation and understanding the meaning of the text your musicians are singing. When players know what the words mean, the emotional weight of the work becomes apparent.
• Balance the West African percussion colors (which emerge at key structural moments) with your ensemble's core sound. These are not meant to overpower but to create textural contrast and authentic rhythmic foundation.
• Pay close attention to moments where traditional melodic themes pass between instrumental families. These transitions can blur together if the inner voices aren't clearly voiced; mark your parts accordingly so the journey of the thematic material stays visible.

Program Heritage as a centerpiece of a concert exploring cultural identity or contemporary American composition. Its length and musical substance make it suitable as a concert's anchor work, and its meaningful engagement with source material opens doors for pre-concert talks or program notes that deepen audience connection. The work also pairs well with other contemporary pieces that challenge conventional concert band sound.

• Balancing independence within complex rhythmic layers
• Executing precise intonation across multiple sustained harmonic colors
• Responding to non-traditional text and language integration in instrumental music
• Recognizing and articulating thematic material as it migrates across ensemble sections
• Interpreting cultural musical context without stereotyping or exoticizing