Pride Within: Oboe
By Mark Lortz
Grade: 4
Item: 98-PC-0000040_O1
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Description
Pride Within is a powerful, emotionally charged work commissioned in memory of longtime educator Jay Bolder, whose legacy of confidence, character, and genuine pride continues to inspire. A reflective clarinet opening honoring his daughter leads into a driving 7/8 groove shaped by Jay's love of odd meters, R&B, and rhythm-forward writing. The rich percussion writing pays tribute to his primary instrument while energizing the piece with color and momentum. Ultimately, Pride Within becomes a heartfelt journey from doubt to determination, culminating in a triumphant celebration of resilience and the enduring impact of a remarkable teacher.
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Additional Details
Series:
RWS - Symphony Band
Publisher:
RWS Music Company
SKU:
98-PC-0000040_O1
More about this title
About the Composer: Mark Lortz
Mark Lortz directs the music department at Stevenson University and serves as music editor for RWS Music Company and brass arranger for the Reading Buccaneers, a multi-world champion drum and bugle corps. His compositions have earned ASCAP recognition, premiered internationally, and appeared at major venues including The Midwest Clinic, Bands of America National Percussion Festival, and the College Band Directors National Association. His writing has been featured in Gramophone and The Instrumentalist, and selected for both Bandworld's Top 100 and J.W. Pepper's Editor's Choice.
Beyond the concert hall, Lortz has conducted and arranged for the U.S. Army Field Band, U.S. Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, and Jazz Ambassadors. He adjudicates regularly, leads clinics at state and regional conferences, and conducts bands across Europe and throughout the United States. The Maryland Music Educators' Association named him Outstanding Educator in 2024. He holds a Ph.D. in Music Education from Temple University and studied percussion performance, composition, and education at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
Why we love this
Lortz crafts emotional storytelling through rhythmic sophistication rather than bombast. The piece's foundation in 7/8 meter and R&B-influenced groove gives it genuine contemporary voice without sacrificing ensemble cohesion at the Grade 4 level. You'll find yourself programming this alongside standard concert repertoire, but students will recognize it as something with real substance about perseverance and character.
What to expect
Pride Within opens with intimate reflection, almost introspective. From there, it builds into something propulsive and forward-moving, driven by grooves and colorful percussion that never feel contrived. By the final section, the piece has earned its triumph; it feels like earned confidence rather than imposed celebration.
Who it's for
Bands at the Grade 4 level ready to engage with odd meters and rhythmic sophistication without extreme technical demands. Directors seeking repertoire that honors an educator's legacy while offering ensemble members a genuine emotional experience and conversation piece.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the 7/8 pulse early in rehearsals through isolated rhythm section work. Lock the clarinet and percussion parts together before adding the full ensemble.
- Balance the opening clarinet solo: it's a moment of vulnerability, not a feature. The soloist should breathe with the ensemble even in this reflective passage.
- Shape the dynamic arc deliberately across the entire piece. The journey from doubt to determination only lands if the middle sections don't overshadow the closing triumph.
- Pay close attention to Lortz's percussion voicing. These aren't just rhythm; they're actively driving the emotional narrative forward alongside the melodic material.
How to use it
This works powerfully as a centerpiece in a concert exploring resilience, identity, or the influence of educators. Consider pairing it with contrasting styles to highlight its contemporary rhythmic language and emotional specificity. It's equally effective as a season-opening or closing piece that sets a meaningful tone for your ensemble's identity.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing 7/8 meter with rhythmic precision
- Balancing ensemble cohesion within R&B-influenced grooves
- Interpreting dynamic and emotional nuance in modern concert music
- Listening to and responding to percussion as narrative voice, not accompaniment
- Connecting melodic storytelling to compositional structure