Sojourn of Dreams

Sojourn of Dreams was composed in memory of Jeff Cumpston who tragically died in Zimbabwe in 2009. Jeff was an Oregon Band Director, a percussionist and an exceptional jazz drummer. The four sections of the 11-minute, grade 4-5 work fuses African modes, songs, and rhythm patterns to create a work that musically underscores Jeff's commitment and "dreams" to serve villagers in Chombo, Zimbabwe. The work's melodic and harmonic constructs are derived from pitch structures based on Jeff's name and folk elements indigenous to Zimbabwe. The work was premiered on February 14, 2015 at the NAfME Northwest Conference in Spokane, WA. Pat Vandehey (Director of Bands at George Fox University) conducted the West Salem High School Wind Ensemble (Todd Zimbelman, director) in the premiere of Sojourn of Dreams.