Flight

LICENSING INFORMATION: This is an Original Show. No licensing is necessary for this show.

Commissioned by the Thorndale High School Band, Thorndale, TX; Scott Simmons, Director of Bands.

The show is based on the essence of manned flight from the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, to a child’s dream of becoming an astronaut. There are moments of dog-fighting and aerial acrobatics as well as the thrill of taking off and soaring through the clouds. The show begins with a patriotic theme to celebrate the invention and innovation of flight as an American phenomenon. Throughout the show, melodies from that first patriotic theme reappear and weave throughout.

Flight is intended to be attainable for many groups, among them younger or smaller groups. Ranges are all manageable with the trumpets only sparingly going over ‘G’ at the top of the staff. The scoring is meant to help the band sound larger than it might be and the low brass in particular is written with open voicings to provide a strong foundation of sound, without getting too thick or cumbersome.  Low reeds are also used to fill out the woodwind choir, but the show can be faithfully performed without them.