March of the Colors

I've always loved working in different modes. It can help change so much about how a piece sounds without completely rewriting melodies, changing structures, or reworking chord progressions. However, it can showcase change over time if done correctlly. Additionally, the differences between dotted eighth notes and eighth note triplets can bring so much color and intrique iin a piece. It can potentially inutence the style of any section, especially depending on the use of dissonance and consonance. March of the Colors was built on these layers mentioned. First I changed the mode. Then I changed some rhythms, blurring the lines between eighths, drawing inuences from both classical and jazz feels. Finally, I added dissonance and consonance that are not "traditionally consistent" with either western classical music or atonal serialistic music. Intense cluster chords with no traditional harmonic structure are used frequently, especially in quarter/eighth note triplet motifs, interspersed in the greater piece of harmony that most can latch onto relatively easily. All of these coloristic decisions allowed me to really think about the color of the music. Every choice allowed me to see how different each section had to be, but also how to tie them all together into a cohesive work. With this, I've also ended up thinking frequenly about the state of the world and how more effort needs to be made to bring even more together. Especially since this piece was written in 2024 within the United States, the whole world sometimes seems to be dark, cruel, and unfortunate. However, I have to constantly remind myself and others that being with each other and lifting each other up is what truly makes more of life worth living. I've been involved in the Drum Corps activity on and off since 2018, and had the pleasure of teaching with the Seattle Cascades in 2023. During that time, I worked frequently with the tuba section and had a student named Alice. She was such a pleasure to work with, and was such a dedicated member to the Corps. Every day, she wanted to be on the eld and be the best performer she could be. Even at the end of the season when I was marching with the Troopers Legacy Corps, I was able to see her after our performance in Lucas Oil Stadium. Unfortunately, she had passed away from suicide later that year.