Shark Week!-SAMPLE

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TSPCE25-033

PROGRAM NOTES

Shark Week! is dedicated to the students and staff of the Canyon Ridge Middle School Band. Most notably, head director Amy Allison, who opened Canyon Ridge Middle School in 2004, has devoted her career to building and sustaining this outstanding program. The official mascot of the Canyon Ridge Band has always been the shark, and if you’ve ever visited their band hall, you’ve undoubtedly seen sharks proudly displayed throughout the rehearsal space.

When I was invited to compose a piece for their performance at the 2025 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the idea of sharks immediately came to mind. I wanted to capture the energy, excitement, and playfulness that both the Canyon Ridge students and their mascot represent. Shark Week! is a fast-paced and spirited work that embodies the adventurous spirit of the Canyon Ridge Band—and, of course, the thrill of sharks. The piece was written using instruments commonly found in every band hall, making it accessible to a wide range of ensembles.

It has been a joy to collaborate with the incredible students and staff of Canyon Ridge Middle School, and I hope audiences enjoy Shark Week! as much as I enjoyed writing it.

—Joe Hobbs

PERFORMANCE NOTES

This piece is designed to be flexible in setup. It can be performed either in a traditional percussion ensemble configuration or from the back of a concert band setup, depending on your ensemble’s needs and available space.

Hard felt mallets are recommended for both the kick drum and bongo/conga parts, while the timpani mallets should also be on the firmer side to achieve the desired articulation and clarity.

Whenever possible, mount smaller auxiliary instruments—such as triangle and cowbell—to facilitate quicker transitions between instruments.

Accents play a crucial role in shaping the character of the piece. The opening motif should be performed with strong forte accents on the accented notes and a light piano touch on the unaccented ones to preserve the contrast and drive of the rhythm.

The Flexatone passage in the middle of the piece is an important color and should project clearly. If additional presence is needed, consider using two Flexatones to achieve greater volume and resonance.