Fanfare for the Common Man

Aaron Copland

“Fanfare for the Common Man” was written by American composer Aaron Copland in 1942 during the height of World War II. The piece was commissioned by conductor Eugene Goossens as part of a series of works honoring the heroism of the American people during the war, and it is one of Copland’s most famous and recognizable compositions. The title, “Fanfare for the Common Man,” is meant to reflect the idea that heroism and sacrifice are not limited to a select few but are qualities that can be found in all people, regardless of their background or station in life. The piece was widely performed during the war, and its powerful message of hope and optimism helped to lift the spirits of the American people during a difficult time. Today, “Fanfare for the Common Man” remains one of Copland’s most popular and enduring works, and is considered a masterwork of 20^th century American classical music.

Come Sunday: II. Shout!

Omar Thomas

Omar Thomas is an American composer, arranger and educator. Born to Guyanese, South American parents, Thomas moved to Boston in 2006 to pursue a Master of Music degree in jazz composition at the New England Conservatory of Music. He was appointed the position of Assistant Professor of Harmony at Berklee College of Music at the age of 23, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Composition and Jazz Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. His continued work and activism in the LGBTQ+ and the African-American communities has made him a household name to many. His work “Come Sunday” was the first piece written by an African-American composer to win the National Band Association’s William D. Revelli Memorial Composition Contest in 2019.

“Come Sunday  is a two-movement tribute to the Hammond organ’s central role in black worship services. The first movement, Testimony, follows the Hammond organ as it readies the congregation's hearts, minds, and spirits to receive The Word via a magical union of Bach, blues, jazz, and R&B. The second movement, Shout!, is a virtuosic celebration -- the frenzied and joyous climactic moment(s) when The Spirit has taken over the service. The title is a direct nod to Duke Ellington, who held an inspired love for classical music and allowed it to influence his own work in a multitude of ways. To all the black musicians in wind ensemble who were given opportunity after opportunity to celebrate everyone else’s music but our own -- I see you and I am you. This one’s for the culture!”

The Official West Point March

Philip Egner

As the title suggests, “The Official West Point March” is the official march of the United States Military Academy at West Point, composed in 1927 by Lieutenant Philip Egner, who served as longtime bandmaster of the West Point Band. The march still ranks high within the band’s most-performed repertoire, and can be heard on the parade field, at football games, ceremonies, and in concert. Truly embodying selections heard throughout the 47-month experience at the Academy, the march contains quotes of bugle calls and West Point classics such as the Alma Mater and “The Corps,” music that celebrates and binds together the Long Gray Line.

Here We Rest

Anthony Barfield

Anthony Barfield is a producer and composer based in New York City. Known for his lyrical writing style, his compositions have been performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Barfield has received commissions from organizations such as The New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with performances by orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. In 2012 he made his Carnegie Hall debut at the New York Wind Band Festival where his work "Here We Rest" was premiered.

Adapted by the composer from his work for trombone choir, “Here We Rest” was dedicated to the state of Alabama in tribute to the victims of its April 2011 tornado outbreak. The title was the Alabama state motto during the Reconstruction Era. The piece attempts to capture the true essence of the pain of people’s losses, and ends without resolution, symbolizing the loss of the tornadoes’ 238 victims and the anguish of many more survivors.

Buffalo Soldiers

James Kimo Williams

James Kimo Williams is an American composer, musician, and photographer based in Chicago, Illinois. The son of an Air Force dad, Williams grew up on military bases, and in 1967 volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army before being deployed to Vietnam in 1970. As a Vietnam veteran, many of his compositions are inspired by his experience and interest in the military, including the award-winning "Symphony for the Sons of Nam" and his "Buffalo Soldiers/American Soldier," which was commissioned by the West Point Band in 2002 to celebrate the United States Military Academy’s bicentennial.

"Buffalo Soldiers" honors the all-black regiments that served in the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry on the expanding American frontier following the Civil War. Inspired by Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait,” Williams’ “Buffalo Soldiers” uses excerpts from a speech given by Abraham Lincoln in 1857 about the tyranny of slavery, as well as a speech delivered by General Colin Powell at the dedication of the Buffalo Soldiers Memorial in Kansas in 1992.

“The concluding words of General Powell reinforces the idea that honorable military service has been one way for black Americans to unlock those “heavy iron doors” Lincoln referred to in 1857. And through music, we hope to suggest that the love of country seems to transcend all burdens, and that even with our tragic history still resolving, we do see ourselves as one nation of Americans.”

O’ What a Beautiful City

Traditional spiritual

Envisioning the rewards of heaven is a recurrent theme in spirituals. However, a unique characteristic of “O! What a Beautiful City” is the depiction of the twelve gates of heaven (the “beautiful city”): three each from all four cardinal directions, as open to all the world, a universal vision for all humanity. “O! What a Beautiful City” is a gospel hymn that has been a staple of African American spiritual music for over a century. The song is believed to have originated in the late 19^th or early 20^th century, during a time when many African Americans were making the migration from the rural South to the urban North in search of better economic opportunities and to escape the harsh realities of segregation and discrimination. The song is a testament to their faith and the hope they held for a better future, with lyrics that express the singers’ longing to reach the heavenly city described in the book of Revelation. The song has been performed and recorded by numerous artists in a variety of styles, from traditional gospel to folk and blues, and has become a classic in the American musical tradition.

“The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land

Aaron Copland

“The Promise of Living” is one of the most memorable and recognizable compositions from Aaron Copland’s opera, “The Tender Land,” and is considered a standout moment in Copland’s musical career. The song celebrates the simple pleasures of an honest living, a life lived in freedom and in harmony with others. “The Tender Land” paints a vivid portrait of the rural Midwest, rich with quintessentially American harmonies, and the choir’s singing adds a powerful and uplifting dimension to the piece. The lyrics, which were written by poet Horace Everett, express a sense of hope and optimism for the future, and reflect Copland’s belief in the “essential goodness” of the American people.

El Cumbanchero

Rafael Hernandez, arr. Naohire Iwai

Rafael Hernandez was a Puerto Rican composer, singer, and songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in 20^th century Puerto Rican music. A "Cumbanchero" is someone who dances on the "cumba", a dance-oriented music genre popular throughout Latin America. The piece was composed just following World War II, becoming a hit all across the Americas by the 1950s. It is widely believed that President John F. Kennedy heartily greeted Hernandez as “Mr. Cumbanchero” prior to a ceremony at the White House for Puerto Rican governor Luis Muñoz Marín, and the piece has firmly established its place among the standards of Latin American music.

I Want You Back

Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy, and Deke Richards, arr. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

From their humble beginnings in the mid-1960s, U.S. pop band The Jackson 5—brothers Michael, Marlon, Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine—became one of the most successful African American vocal groups in pop music history. Embraced by such big names as Gladys Knight, Bobby Taylor, and Diana Ross, the group attracted the attention of Motown’s Berry Gordy, who signed them to the label. Motown moved the family to southern California and promoted them extensively after releasing their debut album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 (1969). In a historic first in the pop music world, the group’s first four singles for Motown—I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and I’ll Be There— became number-one hits.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Stevie Wonder, arr. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” is a classic soul and R&B song written and performed by Stevie Wonder. The song was released in 1970 and became a hit, reaching the top of the charts and establishing itself as a soul music classic.

Stevie Wonder is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950. Blind from birth and raised in inner-city Detroit, he was a skilled musician by age 8 and developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20^th century. Wonder made his recording debut at age 12 and was signed to Motown Records in the early 1960s. Over the course of his career, Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He has also been recognized for his activism on behalf of people with disabilities, as well as his support of various social and political causes. Despite his many accolades, Wonder continues to be celebrated for his innovative, soulful music and his commitment to using his platform for good.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, arr. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is a classic soul and R&B song written by the legendary songwriting team of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The song was originally recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967 and became a top-20 hit, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard pop charts, and number three on the R&B charts. The song’s upbeat melody and catchy lyrics express the idea of love overcoming any obstacle, and its message of determination and resilience has made it a timeless classic. Billboard's original review of the single stated: "Chalk up another pulsating fast smash for Gaye with his new partner Tammi Terrell. The electricity of the duo combined with the blockbuster rhythm material grooves all the way."

Lean on Me

Bill Withers, arr. Adam Anders and Tim Davis, orch. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

“Lean on Me” is a classic song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bill Withers. It was released in 1972 and became one of Withers’ biggest hits, reaching the top of the charts and becoming an iconic song of the 1970s. Bill Withers' childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, was the inspiration for "Lean on Me", which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown. Its message of hope and resilience has made it a timeless classic, and an inspirational anthem to those rising up and rallying together in times of trouble.

Bill Withers was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit songs that captured the hearts of audiences around the world. Born in West Virginia in 1938, Withers grew up in a musical family and was inspired by the blues and gospel music that he heard as a child. He began his musical career in the late 1960s and quickly gained a following with his powerful voice and heartfelt lyrics. In addition to “Lean on Me,” some of Withers’ other famous songs include “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Use Me,” and “Lovely Day.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 and continues to be regarded as one of the greatest soul and R&B singers of all time.

Simple Gifts

Joseph Brackett, arr. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

Many people know “Simple Gifts” as a piece by one of the most emblematic American classical composers, Aaron Copland—but “Simple Gifts” originated as a traditional Shaker tune composed by Elder Joseph Brackett in 1848 in his Shaker community in Maine. The Shakers were a small religious group that was active in the United States in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, and that believed in living a simple and humble life, in harmony with nature and with others. Over time, the song has become a staple of American folk music and has been arranged in many different styles, including this version by West Point Band arranger Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor. After a robust opening, the simple Shaker melody is revealed in the piccolo and repeated later in a martial fashion by the bugles before building into a triumphant climax by the entire ensemble.

You’ll Never Walk Alone

Richard Rodgers and Arthur Hammerstein, arr. Staff Sergeant Noah Taylor

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” is a song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “Carousel,” which premiered in 1945. The song is one of the most memorable and beloved songs from the show, and became an instant hit, in part due to its message of triumph in times of adversity, which resonated with the wartime crowds of April 1945. In the 75 years since, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has become an enduring anthem of resilience, solidarity, and support during tough times, most recently making a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The song has been covered by many artists including Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Marcus Mumford, and Josh Groban, and is considered a classic of musical theater.