Artists often create works based on their memorable experiences. Some of those experiences are joyous, while others are unfortunately tragic. For me, one of my most enjoyable and memorable experiences is traveling with my family. I love seeing new things, meeting new people, trying new foods, and, most importantly, sharing those experiences with my loved ones. This work, Departure, is a continuation of the environment I created in one of my other works, Wanderlust—written for horn, tuba, and piano. Unlike Wanderlust, this work is not about the journey, but the anticipation of the departure itself. The anxiety and excitement that one feels before we leave to travel someplace new.
Todd Goodman’s Departure was originally scored for trombone, tuba, and piano quartet and was commissioned by Sérgio Carolino and Hugo Assunção. The wind ensemble version of Departure was written for Mark Stickney and the Seacoast Wind Ensemble.