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Eric Whitacre

Composer, Conductor, Lecturer

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Marching Band: Genius? Madnesss?

May 12, 2009 at 6:08 pm UTC

A lot of my music is gets used in marching band shows. In fact, at one point or another all of my music has been played on the field. (I’m not kidding… Leonardo, Lux, Animal Crackers, EVERYTHING. Bands have even marched to A Boy and a Girl). The sole exception is When David Heard. I’ve had a number of requests for it (yes, it’s true), but I always say no – I just can’t imagine people playing that piece and, um, marching at the same time. With sousaphones.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of marching bands, and over the years I have been honored by some incredibly creative shows that included my music. I may have just found the prize-winner, though:

This is either going to be the coolest thing ever, or, or…  madness.

  • http://www.twitter.com/add9 Joshua Harper

    As a collegiate musician, i'm hesitant these days to claim my love for Linkin Park back in those wonderful middle school days. However, any video or recording of this "collaberation" you receive should be posted…what an idea. Madness for sure

  • http://richardberg.net/me Richard Berg

    Awesome. Can't wait to see what they come up with. Even if it ends up sucking.

  • Corey Smith

    What! Really?! How do they expect to pull that off? I fully agree, either SO FREAKIN AWESOME, or absolute madness. Lets hope its the former.

  • Kristina

    If they pull this off I will die! This is too awesome to even describe!

  • Preston

    No. Freaking. Way!

    THAT IS SO AWESOME!
    As long as they don't play it simultaneously, the world is safe.

  • Ben Tomlin

    They could at least have made the snippets of Sleep and the Linkin Park bits modulated to the same key.

  • William Brown

    Wow, that's… interesting. I really do want to hear how they pull this off. If they do this just right, it has the potential to be the MOST AMAZING THING EVER!!!!

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/KDMAnderson Mike Anderson

    The line between genius and madness is very thin, my friend.
    ;)

  • http://www.myspace.com/rubicontraverse Carah A. Naseem

    I think the only thing that can describe this whole post is: LMFAO.

    Firstly at the imagery of a marching band playing When David Heard. (Trumpets on the womens' "my sons" and the sousaphones and trombones building the "my son" chord on the way up. LOL.)

    Secondly, at madness. It's definitely going to be madness. I cannot… I don't know. I cannot even begin to…
    all I keeping thinking of is "Point of Authority" interjected with random bits of "Go, Lovely Rose" or something.

  • http://www.myspace.com/rubicontraverse Carah A. Naseem

    "In deserts where…" "…I hurt myself again just to get back at you."

  • Scott Richards

    Our marching band is doing an arrangement of Lux in our show this summer, but we're combining the band and choral versions together.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veJJCINcsPE
    jump to the 5:35 mark to hear the arrangement.

    We also have an arrangement of the first minute of When David Heard done for a brass chord progression. Not sure if there's a recording of it around at all.

  • Kellie

    Do you ever get stopped on the street by fans? I know you aren't a movie star or anything like that, but I would think that with your music being so popular, you would get recognized. I actually used to be in a class with this one woman who had a daughter in band that knew who you were. It actually made me rather excited that there are people out there that aren't involved in choir or band, but still have some knowledge about music that isn't what they hear on the radio.

  • Holly Davis

    Dude. Totally just got goosebumps.

  • Joe

    yeah, we did an arrangement of sleep this year for marching band (arranged by Will Pitts, the drum major for Phantom :D), including a quartet for the vocals.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9EPrucblNw

    you cant hear it all that well, or see it, but its still not that bad of a recording.

  • Emily

    My high school marching band performed October my freshman year. Yes, October! It was ridiculous. We almost pulled it off…

    But one of my most striking memories from that year was all the woodwinds singing our parts for that song at a practice. We had to do this because it was raining so the woodwinds of course had to put our instruments up (so we had to sing instead of play), and we weren't singing with enough gusto. So the director told us to feel the music… and it happened! It was a beautiful experience :].

  • Val

    I'm in that marching band. I'm so excited to be apart of this show! Hopefully, you Mr. Whitacre, will be able to fly down to Florida and experience this first hand. I agree, it is on a fine line of awesome and madness, I believe it'll be an awesome show.

  • wildcat

    yeeaaahhh…that's our show! it's going to be awesome!!!
    we can pull it off…

    hi allgair lol.

  • mel

    I'm in the whs band too and I think our show will be really cool. It's exciting get this kind of recognition already :D

  • Ginger Bruner

    Hey Eric,

    Yes, this is THAT tuba-playing Ginger Bruner from your past…

    More E.W. for tuba and/or sousaphone would rock!

    Cheers from beautiful downtown Las Vegas,

    GB

  • Dubia

    I am also in the WHS marching band. Our director is most likely your biggest fan. He almost died when he saw our trailer on your blog. We are extremely excited for the challenge your music will provide. We had played "Lux Arumque" for our director when his father passed away from cancer and ever since our band has adored your music. Again we are extremely happy that you recognised us and that you are excited about our show.

  • Cameron

    This is the greatest idea our band director, Mr. Allgair, has come up with. I am in this band, and I am truly excited for the show. With the amazing choral figures of your music, and the upbeat motion of Linkin Park's music, this should work out well. Mr. Whitacre, it would make our director and all of us extremely happy and grateful if you came by to visit and watched our show, meeting you would probably mark as one of the greatest experiences in my life.

  • http://www.apple.com/pro Matthew M.

    Mr Whitactre,

    On behalf of "Mk6o Ltd." (We made the Trailer), I would like to personally thank You for main-streaming this Film. It is always interesting to see how Artists respond to their own Art… especially as it is interpreted in rather unconventional methods. Perhaps Wharton is Insane for tackling a project like this… but who is Sane these days? I have high hopes for this show, and I couldn't think of a better Formula for what I think will be an interesting show! After seeing the overwhelming response from this Film (and to Us, more than a hundred people interested is overwhelming…), We are more than interested in making a Follow-Up Trailer… so stay tuned for Trailer 2!

    Regards and Thanks!!!

    Matthew M.
    Mk6o Ltd. Creative Director

  • http://www.apple.com/pro Matthew M.

    whoops spelled your name wrong… sry.

  • James Perry

    Mr. Whitacre, I just read this entry and was surprised you mentioned 'Leonardo' as one of the pieces that have been arranged for a marching band. I'm in the South Brunswick High School Marching Band in NJ, and I have never heard of another band performing an arrangement of that piece, so I got a bit excited when you mentioned it. Have you ever seen ours? :

    [youtube

    James,

    THANKS for this! Fantastic band…. please tell all of the players (and your director) that I send my warmest regards.

    e

  • James Perry
  • Eli B.

    I have personally seen the first movement of the show and it doesn't stop from part to another. The transitions are spectacular and flow very nicely together. I was in that band program and it blow "Shades of Blue" out of the water. I cant wait to see that rest of the show live!

  • Jasmine

    So far so good. I'm in the Wharton Regiment, the band that's doing this show. We won 12 awards at the West Coast Invitational at Durant High School and placed 5th overall.

  • carolyn

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    Eric Whitacre is one of the most popular and performed composers of our time, a distinguished conductor, broadcaster and public speaker. His first album as both composer and conductor on Decca/Universal, Light & Gold, won a Grammy® in 2012, reaped unanimous five star reviews and became the no. 1 classical album in the US and UK charts within a week of release... full bio

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