Well Wishes

Well Wishes is representative of the excitement and bittersweet farewells experienced before beginning a new chapter of life. Whether it be graduation, moving out of one's childhood home, or a milestone equally as grand, there is often a celebration and a sense of accomplishment paired with a nostalgic moment of reflection that brings back memories of the bonds and precious moments formed along the way. One realizes, ultimately, that these bonds and precious moments enable us to take on the upcoming challenges with even more courage and fervor than ever before. The “goodbye” is never truly final at these points of departure because the friendships and memories remain as a part of one's transformed self.

The bold introduction from the percussion and brass, decorated with a flourish from the woodwinds, introduces the main motivic material for the entire work. The flutes and oboes introduce the first theme gently as the accompaniment builds into a bolder restatement with the full band. The secondary theme, first played by the low brass and bassoons, introduces a new tonality that implies the feelings of the initial thoughts of the past. A brief transition leads to the lyrical section which begins with an oboe solo developing the introductory motif. Rich harmonies and muted trumpets accompany the lyrical theme in its first iteration followed by a long crescendo into the restatement by the trumpets and horns. The percussion launches back into the brisk tempo before an aggressive statement of the primary theme from the low brass and low reeds. This aggression can be seen as the uncertainty of what is to come from a new endeavor. The raucous build-up leads to a resolution and recontextualization of the secondary theme that provides a certainty that the future will be bright because one's prior experiences have prepared them for this moment.

Conductor Notes:

This work presents many educational opportunities. Phrases have been written in a logical manner that should allow intermediate musicians to find success in exploring a more expressive performance. The faster tempo should often be felt in 2, but it is kept in 4/4 to accommodate younger musicians. Feel free to conduct sections in 2 if developmentally appropriate for your ensemble!

There are a variety of articulations that should be approached with care. During the lyrical section, the accompanimental figure first played by the muted trumpets should be taught to all performers with attention being given to the rhythm and articulations to unify the stylistic approach.

In the absence of an oboist, the oboe solo may be played by muted trumpet or, preferably, soprano saxophone if available.

Percussion includes:

- Timpani [F, B♭, C]

- Glockenspiel

- Vibraphone

- Marimba

- Percussion 1 [Snare Drum & Bass Drum]

- Percussion 2 [Crash cymbals, tambourine, rain stick (optional)]

When limited percussionists are available, adapt parts and set-up appropriately to allow for transitions. Priority should be given to Percussion 1, Marimba, and Vibraphone.

The “dead stroke” in the marimba part should be achieved by holding the head of the mallet on the instrument after the attack to dampen the vibration.

Mallet selection is left to the discretion of the conductor, but it should allow for the various timbres and expressive qualities of the instruments to be accurately portrayed by the performers.