Program Notes Fiat Lux. “Let there be light.” In 2019, I was very fortunate to be invited to the University of Akron (Akron, Ohio) to serve as the clinician/composer-in-residence for a conference and honors event they were hosting. During my travels, I meet all kinds of people, and, generally speaking, I get along with them. …
War, Pestilence, Famine, and Death are illustrated in this dramatic suite for Wind Ensemble. This work was commissioned by the Colorado Mesa University Wind Symphony and their conductor, Calvin Hofer, with the generous support of Karen Combs Peace, Love, and Music. Published by Randall Standridge Music, LLC PRICING: Digital Copy (PDF and Site License) -…
Vanishing Point is a minimalistic work for Wind Ensemble that is inspired by the coasts of the Great Lakes. One can easily step up to the water’s edge, gazing off to the horizon, and let one’s imagination and creativity go where it will. It is a truly magical place, and I hope this work captures some…
Some people say I suffer from an overactive imagination. That is not true. I don’t suffer from it at all. I enjoy every minute of it. I remember being in English class in high school, and learning about classical plays. Mrs. Eggburn (my fantastic 11th Grade English teacher) mentioned the “Deus Ex Machina,” or “God…
My musical tastes are wildly eclectic. One moment, you might find me enjoying Beethoven’s symphonies and the other you might find me head-banging to Iron Maiden. I have never been a musical snob and I value and love the entire array of sounds, rhythms, and textures that the world of music, in all its forms,…
Honoring the career of an Illinois band director upon her retirement, this gorgeous work comes off as an epic musical journey that is full of surprises. An oboe soloist (always cued) is featured in the lyrical yet emotionally powerful opening section. A spirited jig in 6/8 time takes over after the slow introduction. As the…
Galactic Fanfare is the first of a series of works the composer intends to write inspired by the language of movie music, entitled A Cinematic Suite. It is written in the style of space operas and sci-fi adventures. Featuring 12/8 time and driving rhythms, every section of the band is here treated with hyper-exciting parts,…
This dramatic concert band work depicts a watershed moment in American History. Written in honor of the Little Rock Central Nine and the 60th anniversary of the integration of the Little Rock school system, this work showcases an original spiritual by the composer (“Show Me the Light”) that is set in conflict with opposing forces…
Taking Beethoven’s four note “fate” motive from the first movement of his fifth symphony, composer Standridge has reimagined the symphony movement and taken it in remarkable new directions. At first following close to the original for a powerful and exciting introduction, the work then segues into a playful gigue in compound meter, followed by a…
This work was commissioned by the Lake Hamilton High School Band in 2014. Their director, Jon Shultz, has been a close friend ever since high school. However, he has a tendency to ask me to do things last minute. Undecim (latin for “eleven”) refers both to the eleventh hour (the last opportunity to get things…