Deep Space Voyage by J Aaron Stanley (USA) by WASBE

Deep Space Voyage for Young Band

by J. Aaron Stanley

Composed 2020, rev. 2021

Duration: c. 2.5m Grade c 1 5

Included Parts:

Flute 1

Flute 2

Oboe (opt )

Clarinet in B♭ 1

Clarinet in B♭ 2

Bass Clarinet in B♭ (opt.) Bassoon (opt.) Alto Saxophone 1 Alto Saxophone 2 Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone (opt )

Trumpet in B♭ 1

Trumpet in B♭ 2 Horn in F (opt.) Trombone Baritone B.C. & T.C. (opt.) Tuba

Timpani

Glockenspiel

Xylophone (opt ) Chimes (opt ) Snare Drum Bass Drum

Instrumentation Notes:

Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, & Baritone Saxophone all share the same part, which is always either doubled in the Tuba or Trombone/Baritone part, or both, and can be considered optional.

The octave divisions in the Trombone/Baritone part provide options for players that struggle with the higher notes. The part can also be divided among the section at the discretion of the conductor.

If there are sufﬁcient low woodwinds, the Trombones/Baritones can lay out in bars 28 38 to allow for more contrast between woodwinds and brass

Oboe is always doubled in either Flute 2 or Alto 1, or in 2 instances plays a non-essential chord tone, and can be considered optional.

Horn is 100% doubled in other parts for strength and security. Technically, it's optional, but its sound is desirable for this piece.

Since Chimes and Xylophone do not normally appear in Grade 1 band music, they are indicated as optional parts While their inclusion is recommended and will certainly add color to the texture, they are not absolutely necessary for the successful performance of this piece

About the work:

What strikes me most about deep space is its unending vastness. To ponder space is to ponder the inﬁnite. It's both awe inspiring and unsettling. It also strikes me as incredibly lonely. Imagine ﬂoating in the vast quiet emptiness of black space with only distant pinpricks of light to keep you company

Deep Space Voyage is my ﬁrst original composition for young band. The challenge of composing with such tight restrictions has given me greater respect for composers who are able to write something fresh, interesting, and fun for young musicians. I've tried my best to capture both the quiet loneliness of space, as well as its epic grandness of scale in a way that is appropriate for young musicians.

Although I had my own imagery in mind to serve as inspiration for composing, it isn't programmatic. Students can have fun creating their own imagery and storylines as their own personal reaction to the music. The piece has a very cinematic feel to it, which I believe will help keep students interested in the piece and in mastering the techniques required to perform it successfully.

J. Aaron Stanley (March 2020)

Notes to the conductor:

Dynamic contrast is perhaps the single most important variable if I could choose only one to a successful performance of this piece, making it an excellent selection for teaching this concept. It should begin as softly as possible. If you have a particularly gifted low brass player, the opening two and a half bars can even be a solo, with the rest of the low instruments joining in at piano halfway through bar 3. By the time we reach bar 19, we should experience the full dynamic range of the band as the tutti crescendos to a forte. If mental imagery helps, we start in the cold lonely reaches of deep space, and in bar 19 we behold a vast star making giant nebula: a star factory, if you will. This huge contrast should also be felt in the Coda, when the introductory material returns

Tone production is also important. If students get bored with half notes and whole notes, challenge them to create the most beautiful sound possible and to "dig in" to the dynamic contrasts.

Practical learning objectives:

• Dynamic contrast with crescendos / decrescendos (p to f)

• Articulations: normal attack, accent, and slur

• Rhythms: up to 8th notes in winds, 16th notes and rolls in snare drum

• Phrasing and good tone production

• Some independence of parts

• Some non-standard harmony (chromaticism and quartal harmony)

• Natural minor scale

• Non musical tie ins: space, moons, planets, asteroids, stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, etc

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Misterioso = c 108       1 2 Flute Oboe 1 2 Clarinet in B♭ Bassoon Bass Clarinet 1 2 Alto Saxophone Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone 1 2 Trumpet in B♭ Horn in F Trombone Baritone Tuba Timpani Glockenspiel Xylophone Chimes Snare Drum Bass Drum Crash Cymbal Suspended Cymbal Tuning: G (32"), C (25") light plastic mallets Deep Space Voyage ©2020 Soul Journey Music (ASCAP: SoJoMu Publishing) J Aaron Stanley (ASCAP) All rights reserved

(b 1975)

J Aaron Stanley

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym soft yarn 9 7 6 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym 17 12 7 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     2 1 1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym 18 8 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym Play only if directed 26 24 9 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym     29 10 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym       38 34 11 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym Play:    39 12 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym 44 13 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym    49 14 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym 56 54 15 Deep Space Voyage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     rall. 1 2 Fl Ob 1 2 Cl Bsn Bs Cl 1 2 A Sax T Sax Bar Sax 1 2 Tpt Hn Tbn Bar Tba Timp Glock Xyl Chim Sn Dr B Dr Cr Cym Sus Cym solo damp              61 16 Deep Space Voyage