Music of Andrew F. Poor

  Our Reality by Andrew F. Poor, DME originally published by the National Band Association, Georgia Chapter, September 2020 One of my favorite mottoes is, “It is not your excuse, it is your reality.” It is a constant reminder that we must always be solution-driven rather than problem-focused--this has never been truer than now. As we return to school, we face various challenges; some of us might be ill-prepared to handle. I know I am. Honestly, there were times over the last five months. I was overwhelmed and feeling defeated by our situation. Based on conversations with friends and colleagues, it became apparent I was not alone.  "It is not your excuse, but it is your reality!"   This summer, while reading a leadership book,  Extreme Ownership  (Willink & Babin, 2017), written by two former Navy SEALs, a few ideas struck me. No, I am not planning on turning my students into Navy SEALS, but some of the best ideas/reminders can come from the most unlikel...

Composed for the students of South Forsyth Middle School in Cumming, Georgia. This work for young bands was composed as a lyrical showcase for the composer’s students and is composed in a binary form—AABA. The primary theme is first presented as a plaintive clarinet solo/optional trumpet (measure 2) and has some folk-like qualities performed over a pedal-point. The second presentation of the A theme (measure 19) is presented by the trumpets and enhanced harmonic vocabulary. The B theme (measure 35) moves to the relative minor (C minor), represents the clouds briefly covering our horizon, and the melody is passed through various woodwind instruments. A cadential extension leads us to a full tutti statement of the A theme (measure 53), which is followed by a brief concluding section at measure 67. The Coda to the piece features a fragmenting and augmenting of the main melody, which is shared through various instruments and leads us to a final cadence. As the title suggests, the piece...