The Marbled Midnight Mile is a companion to my earlier works Dusk and First Light - the three of them together form a loosely-related "night cycle." This newest work is the middle of the cycle, evoking the myriad wandering thoughts that occur in the solitude of night, and the title suggests an extended inner journey through a shifting mental landscape. There is no singular program or "story" to the piece; rather I hope the listener finds his or her own associations and memories from long nights spent in quiet contemplation.
The music makes only modest technical demands of the ensemble, but is a perfect vehicle to expand a young bandŐs musical maturity and sensitivity.
COMMISSIONING CONSORTIUM MEMBERS:
Aurora High School, Dan Sodomka
Blair Area Community Band, Joe Chapman
Class C All-State Band, Stacy Bean
Class D All-State Band, Stan Johnson
Doane College, Dr. Jay W. Gilbert
Douglas County West High School, Randy Garton
Elkhorn High School, Dr. Michelle Bluford
Fremont High School, Dr. Brian Anderson
Gretna High School, Chris Tucker and Alex Wimmer
Hastings College, Dr. Daniel Laing
Heartland Community School, Royce Schweitzer
Lincoln East High School Band, Tom Thorpe and Lance Nielsen
Loomis High School, Janet Palmer
Loop City Public Schools, Kyle Knaub
Millard South High School, Rex Barker
Nebraska City High School, Greg Olsen and Joel Sunderman
Nebraska Wesleyan University, Dr. J. Samuel Zitek
Norfolk High School, John Furrow and Todd Cook
Omaha Public Schools, Michelle Johnson, Supervisor of Instrumental Music
Peru State College, Dr. Patrick Fortney
Platteview High School, Marla Janak and Jerry Layher
Scott Middle School, Dick Marolf and Jacque Rush
Shickley High School, Stan Johnson
University of Nebraska-Kearney, Dr. Neal Schnoor
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Carolyn Barber