Celebration

"The years leading to the U.S. Bicentennial (1976) saw the commissioning of American composers to write works for the occasion. The Nashville Symphony and its conductor Thor Johnson asked Adolphus Hailstork for such a work, and to distribute the music at no cost to high school orchestras around the United States. The present version for band followed as a natural offshoot of the infectiously exhilarating three-minute work." - Theodore Presser

Link to Score: https://issuu.com/theodorepresser/docs/hailstork_115-40235_issuu

Accent: Look through the score before listening to Celebration. Can you find all of the accents? Go back to the beginning and listen, with and without the score. How well did the musicians do with their accents?

Mixed Meter: This piece is in 7/8 time (seven eighth notes in a bar, usually grouped in 2+2+3, or 3+2+2). Try to follow along with the score!

Rhythmic Patterns:
Hailstork uses several rhythmic patterns in the first minute of Celebration!

The first pattern is notated here. It is first heard in the trumpets, measures 1-4

The second rhythmic pattern is notated here. It is first heard in the clarinets, measures 10-12