Musically the piece evolves from a simple descending chromatic theme, that is transformed and developed throughout. It calls upon a variety of violin effects: low register with mute, trilled octaves and thirds, tremolo, strumming chords, glissando and harmonics, playing at the fingerboard and special bowings. The marimba makes use of resonant lower register chords with soft hammers, contrasting with strident, caustic notes of the upper keyboard with hard sticks for explosive emotions.

Gregorian chant is one of the earliest forms of notated music, using free flowing rhythms and simple melody. In Old Churches, composer Michael Colgrass uses these elements to create an aura of voices echoing in the monastery. Using easy graphic notation, students have a fun and creative way to explore sound production along with the compositional process. (Includes score and parts.) Learn more at YouTube. BandQuest®, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadable audio catalog.

Gregorian chant is one of the earliest forms of notated music, using free flowing rhythms and simple melody. In Old Churches, composer Michael Colgrass uses these elements to create an aura of voices echoing in the monastery. Using easy graphic notation, students have a fun and creative way to explore sound production along with the compositional process. This package includes the band parts and a CD-ROM.

Publisher: American Composers Forum
Series: BandQuest
Medium: Softcover with disk
Voicing: Score & Parts
Band Grade: 3
Format: Score and Parts with CD-ROM
Credits: Michael Colgrass
Composer(s): Michael Colgrass