Victorious Souls

Victorious Souls was commissioned by the congregation of the Madison United Methodist Church, Madison, Alabama, and their orchestra director, Sandy Weisner. The Madison UMC Church Orchestra premiered Victorious Souls in May of 2014. Victorious Souls was selected as a J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice in 2015. The goal of the commission was to write an uplifting and exciting work for young musicians. The title, and the idea behind the work, was a result of my fascination and inspiration by stories of survival and overcoming extreme difficulties. Personally speaking, the strength of the human spirit is a source of constant inspiration to me as both a person and as a composer. While not a religious theme, nor was there an intent to compose a sacred work, the inspiration for the work did resonate with the commissioning organization.

The composition is an overture for young bands that uses a cyclical form: A-B-C-B-A. Beginning with a brief and bold fanfare, the piece quickly moves into the primary theme that is first presented by the clarinets. This fast and enthusiastic section eventually evolves into a lyrical section with folk-like qualities that showcases the entire band. There are counter-melodies that hint at some well-known hymns, while not directly quoting any one tune. At the conclusion of the lyrical section, the primary theme returns with a fast version of the opening fanfare bringing the work to an exciting conclusion.

It is my hope that you find this work enjoyable and educational for your students.

If you like this piece, visit AndrewPoorMusic on YouTube and www.andrewpoormusic.com for all of the latest information on my music.


Location: Suwanee, GA, USA

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