panda-monium (2025)
for grade 2.5 symphonic band with optional narrator, 3’
this piece was commissioned by through the Sing Me a Story Foundation for Mark Wells and the East Grand Rapids Middle School Band. Completed in January 2025, this work is dedicated to Ivan.
Scored for opt. narrator w/ picc, 2fl, ob, 2cl, bcl, bsn, aatb sax, 2tpt, hn, trb, euph, tba, timp + 6perc
Commissioned by the Sing Me a Story Foundation, this piece is based on a story written by Ivan, a student with ACC and epilepsy, alongside his three brothers Lucas, Tucker, and Alex. In short, the brother wrote a fun tale about collecting rainbow pandas which escaped from the zoo across Michigan. My resulting work, Panda-Monium, reflects on the two halves of this story -- the fun chase of re-capturing the pandas to return them to the zoo, and the fun of doing this task alongside friends and family. In every note and measure, I thought of the joyous and playful elements of the story and was grateful for Ivan and his brothers for their inspiration for this piece.
The Sing Me a Story Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing stories to life of children in need through the commissioning of songwriters and composers. For more information on the Sing Me a Story Foundation, please click here.
Performances:
May 7, 2025, East Grand Rapids Middle School, conducted by Mark Wells, Grand Rapids, MI
