On This Bright Morning

On this Bright Morning was written for a consortium of Montana high school bands. The focus group was the second band at Missoula's Hellgate High School, the thinking being that this second band in a good music program would represent the technical development of the average high school band around the state. The music is bright and engaging, and at the same time quite soulful. It asks players and conductors to commit fully to a very direct and powerful personal feeling. As a motivation for approaching the piece I have attached the following quote, taken from an interview with the poet, Jane Kenyon: "Yes, there are things in this life that we must endure that are all but unendurable, and yet I feel that there is a great goodness. Why, when there could have been nothing, is there something? How, when there could have been nothing, does it happen that there is love, kindness, beauty?" What a beautiful piece. I fell in love with it and purchased it as soon as school was back in from holiday break in January. ... There are not many pieces that produce the emotional depth to follow a monumental work that is Music for Prague, but, we found that the emotions of despair and anger brought on by Prague are tempered and resolved through On This Bright Morning. Todd Ebert The students (and ourselves) have grown to love the On This Bright Morning. Jay Cobb Find program notes and more information at davidmaslanka.com.