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Alex Shapiro, composer email

ASCENT
for wind band and prerecorded track.


Composed by Alex Shapiro
2020; Duration 2:30.
Published by Activist Music LLC (ASCAP).

Grade 4 and beyond.

 



 

score cover

 

 

 

Live recording of ASCENT,
performed in March 2020 by
The University of Hawai'i Wind Ensemble,
in Honolulu, Hawai'i,
conducted by Jeffrey Boeckman.
Play this LOUDLY!


 
 
 
 

 

ASCENT is available as a
physical, bound set of score and parts
plus audio download,
or as a digital set of .pdf score and parts,
plus audio download.


Full set: $60.
Score only: $10.

 

 

 

 

Click here to order from Activist Music:

ORDER ASCENT

 

 

Click the icon to order the
print set from Hal Leonard:

Hal Leonard

 

 

 

QUICK LINKS

 
 
 
 

 

ASCENT instrumentation

 

 

Enjoy a few of Alex's photos while listening to
the University of Hawai'i Wind Ensemble
conducted by Jeffrey Boeckman,
performing the March 1, 2020 premiere
of ASCENT in Honolulu, HI:

 

 

Juvenile Bald Eagle over the Salish Sea. Photo by Alex Shapiro.

 

 

A RECORDING

 

A live recording of ASCENT, performed in March 2020 by The University of Hawai'i Wind Ensemble, in Honolulu, Hawai'i, conducted by Jeffrey Boeckman. Play this LOUDLY!



LIVE RECORDING of ASCENT

 

 

 

 

THE PERUSAL CONDUCTOR SCORE
(email Alex for code access)

PERUSAL ONLY; not for performance or duplication.

 

.pdf file of the TRANSPOSED CONDUCTOR SCORE,

11 x 17; 15 pages including cover and notes.


 

Perusal score, 11 x 17-single-sided.

 

 

LICENSES INCLUDED:

Synchronization and mechanical rights are included free of charge for music educators and non-profit ensembles wishing to create virtual recordings and videos of this piece, subject to written approval from Ms. Shapiro prior to publicly posting the media.

 

 

 

Juvenile Bald Eagle. Photo by Alex Shapiro.

 

 

 

THE PROGRAM NOTE & BIO

 

 

ASCENT reflects the effort to get off the ground, literally or figuratively. It's a micro-overture that begins with the promise of upward transcendence, yet soon flies off into rogue disorganization. The raucous flock of many notes finally gathers into a united upward-headed murmuration, but the freedom of soaring into the sky brings an uneasy mystery before settling into the tranquil air of anticipation.

 

 

 

PROGRAM BIO for Alex Shapiro Photo and bio



Alex Shapiro bio and photos

 

 

 

 

Enjoy watching conductor John Climer
lead the Capital University Symphonic Winds
in ASCENT, during the February 2023 NOW Music Festival
for which Alex Shapiro was composer-in-residence:

 


Juvenile Bald Eagle over the Salish Sea. Photo by Alex Shapiro.

 

 

WEBHEARSALS

Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc. are wonderful tools for affordably bringing Alex into your rehearsal, without having to book a plane flight! She has a great time coaching students, and the difference between their musicianship at the beginning of the session and by the time it ends, is remarkable.

Alex can tell the ensemble about how the piece was created and engage them in conversation, and even show them how her digital project studio works! It's also easy to arrange to have her say hello to the audience during a concert, via a custom video. Webhearsals connect musicians to the real person-- and the stories-- behind the notes on the music stands. Get in touch with Alex-- her contact info is at the bottom of this page.

To see some examples of webhearsals, and the view Alex loves to share from her desk, click here.



 

Skypehearsal

Alex was an early adopter of online "webhearsals"! Here's one from December 2012 with Alex in her studio on Washington's San Juan Island, and band director Mary Bauer and the Mt. Mansfield Union High School Band far across the continent in Vermont.

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL READING

WASBE World
WASBE World

 

Alex has written an extensive two-part article about electroacoustic band music and the uses of multimedia in the concert world. The essay, titled The e-Frontier: Music, Multimedia, Education, and Audiences in the Digital World echoes multimedia presentations she has given at The 2013 Midwest Clinic, the 2014 TMEA convention, and countless other seminars. It appears in the June and September 2014 issues of the magazine of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, WASBE World, and the .pdf is offered here with the very kind permission of the organization.

 

Click here for the full .pdf file readThe e-Frontier

 


 

 

 

 

 

WITH THANKS

 

ASCENT was commissioned by Jeffrey Boeckman and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, with the participation of the following members of the consortium:

University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Jeffrey Boeckman, Director

Cal Poly Pomona University, Rickey Badua, Director

California State University-San Bernardino, Nicholas Bratcher, Director

Capital University, Jeffrey D. Gershman, Director

Clemson University, Mark J. Spede, Director

Georgia College, Cliff Towner, Director

Kamehameha Schools, Matthew K. Urabe, Director

Kaua'i Community College, Sarah Tochiki, Director

Marshall University, Adam Dalton, Director

Michigan Technological University, Michael Christianson, Director

Mililani High School, Mililani, HI, Curtis Hiyane, Director

The Ohio State University, Phillip Day, Director

San José State University, San José, CA., David Vickerman, Director

St. Charles East High School, St. Charles, IL, Jim Kull, Director

Shenandoah Conservatory, Timothy J. Robblee, Director

University of Arizona, Chad Nicholson, Director

University of British Columbia, Robert Taylor, Director

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Steven D. Davis, Director

University of Northern Iowa, Danny Galyen, Director

University of South Carolina, Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Director

University of Texas at El Paso, Andrew Hunter, Director

University of Texas at San Antonio, John Zarco & Ron Ellis, Director

University of Toronto, Gillian MacKay, Director

University of Washington, Timothy Salzman, Director

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Glenn C. Hayes, Director



 

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL MUSIC

Alexwith some of her music at the Hal Leonard rack at the Midwest Clinic, 2014.

Alex loves writing for band! You can listen to any of her other pieces by clicking here Alex's wind band catalog

 

 

 

 

THE CONTACT INFO

 

The VERY best way to reach Alex is through email, by clicking here Email Alex!

 

Email Alex!

 

 


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