Syracuse University Wind Ensemble, Bill Davern (conductor), 2015
Year: 2014 /2021
Duration: 4:00
Grade: IV
Dedicated to my father, Bill Davern.
World premiere of the trombone choir version by the Boston University Trombone Choir on
October 10th, 2014. Conducted by Don Lucas.
World premiere of the wind band version by the Syracuse University Wind Ensemble on February 24th, 2022. Conducted by Bill Davern.
Program Notes
I believe there are very few people in our lives that inspire us to such a degree, that we decide to sit down and write a piece for them; My father has and always will be one of those people. He has influenced me in a way that words cannot describe, and I consider Make the Moment to be a heartfelt and emotional thank you card dedicated to him. Make the Moment marks my first composition, originally composed for trombone choir in 2014 and later published by Warwick Music. The wind band version of the composition was presented to my father in celebration of his retirement from the West Genesee Central School District in the summer of 2021.
Make the Moment is reminiscent of an epic fanfare, shortly followed by a resplendent and nostalgic theme. The chordal rhythm of the composition features a transition between the tonic and subdominant, Do and Fa in solfege syllables. My father served as the Director of Fine Arts during my time in high school, to which I coined him the “DoFA,” hence the motivic emphasis on the chords I and IV. The piece begins with a bright fanfare in F major, infusing various instrumental groupings to the texture of the composition. The tempos then slows, with the fanfare figures taking on a more grandiose sensation. With an immediate transition and tempo increase, the heroic main theme is stated. The energetic melody takes on a more sentimental attitude, accompanied by lush chords and a denser orchestration. A modulation to Bb Major, with a nod to the DoFA motive, takes a gradual dynamic shift downward and creates an indication of a pseudo ending. From silence, the composition builds to a powerful transition back into F major. A recapitulation of the original fanfare intensely sounds again, bringing Make the Moment to an exciting conclusion.
A sincere thank you to Dr. Bradley Ethington and the Syracuse University Wind Ensemble for performing the world premiere of the wind band version of Make the Moment and for allowing my father, whom the piece was written for, to conduct the piece.
West Genesee High School Wind Ensemble, Greg Borsz (conductor), 2023
Shawn W. Davern 