The Eucant March

For concert band and a glass of water

When I was student teaching in college I was lucky to work with Dr. Evan Lee at Norris Public Schools. Not only was he a great mentor for music education, but he gave me free time to write music instead of cleaning his room for him. The Eucant March was written October 19, 2007 in about three hours - the school day was over, but the band had a football game to play at that night and I didn't feel like driving back to campus, then to the high school again, so I stayed and ended up writing a march. For somebody that doesn't really like marches, I sure do write a lot of them...

As its name implies, it is far from your standard march. Within its bars are dropped beats, added beats, cues to drink water and to eat a pastry, wander off-stage, or something else as your performance allows. It is a great piece to teach march form (and modulations thereof), meter changes, and humorous music. It was premiered by the Doane College Symphonic Wind Ensemble on April 20th, 2008.

This was also the first composition I sold to another group: Joe Chapman was at that premiere concert and asked to buy it for the Blair Area Community Band to perform that summer. Of course I agreed, and performed on the concert and directed this piece with them.