In the spring of 2015 I had the honor of meeting John O’Reilly, composer and former chief concert band editor for Alfred Music. John’s granddaughter was an oboe player in my band at Joe E. Newsome High School. John had emailed me earlier in the year about playing some of his music, and I happily obliged. The concert was framed as a guest composer concert, and we played at least one of his pieces with each ensemble.
As I myself was (and still am) an aspiring composer, I took it upon myself to program my Tribute for Band. While at lunch between rehearsals I asked John if he thought it was publishable. His response: “Send it to my friend Bob Sheldon.” Bob is the chief concert band editor for Alfred Music. Opportunity knocked, so I opened the door. I sent a draft to Bob, and to my delight he liked it enough to add it to Alfred’s 2017 catalogue. I was and will forever be grateful to John for connecting me with Bob, and to Bob for fulfilling my lifelong dream of being picked up by a major music publisher. I’ve since worked with multiple publishers, have self-published, and am learning the ins and outs of the business (future blog post).
Cover of Tribute for Band published by Alfred Music
Tribute for Band isn’t a true “composition” because it’s an arrangement of previously existing music. It uses the famous bugle-call melody Taps which was originally composed by Daniel Butterfield. The simple tune consists of many long sustains over which I incorporated various other patriotic quotes including Simple Gifts, Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Star Spangled Banner, and Amazing Grace. The Taps theme is presented twice with a dramatic modulation in the middle.
Composer tip: Tuneful melodies and creative repetition are paramount when composing approachable music for scholastic ensembles. I always sensed this, but it was Larry Clark, previous Vice President and Editor at Carl Fischer Music and now owner of Excelcia Music that instilled this in me during one of our early conversations (another future blog post).
I originally wrote this arrangement to honor the life of a long time friend and colleague, Bruce McCready. Bruce was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving from 1966 to 1967 in Korea. He retired as the Dean of Students at Marcus Whitmas High School in Rushville, NY, and was a beloved educator and adjudicator in the pageantry arts. Bruce was one of my instructors when I performed with the Syracuse Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corps from Syracuse, NY. The Brigs were the first to play the piece when it was called Tribute and scored for a choir of G bugles!
TRIBUTE FOR BAND can be acquired directly from Alfred Music or from the music distributer J.W. Pepper. For more about me, my music or to commission a new work please visit my website, Michael J. Miller Music L.L.C.
Michael J. Miller is a composer, conductor, and educator living in Horse Cave, KY.
His many works for concert band, orchestra, and chamber ensembles are available from Alfred Music, Carl Fischer Music, F.J.H. Music, Excelcia Music, Murphy Music, and R.W.S. Music. They regularly receive critical acclaim including J.W. Pepper and Son's Editors' Choice, Bandworld's Top 100 New Works for Band, and Highly Recommended status by the National Band Association's magazine, The Instrumentalist. Michael's music is performed nationally and abroad, including recent performances at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensemble’s summer conference, and the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble’s composer initiative.
Before dedicating himself to composition full time, Michael was a public-school band director. From 2013-2018 he served as the Director of Bands at Joe E. Newsome High School in Lithia, FL. Under his leadership, Newsome earned the Florida Bandmasters Association’s Otto Kraushaar award, was named B.O.A. Regional Grand Champions, qualified for W.G.I. World Championships Finals, and performed in theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Before his appointment at Newsome, he was Assistant Director of Bands at Robert Vela High School in Edinburg, TX, and the Director of Bands at Weeki Wachee High School in Weeki Wachee, FL. While at W.W.H.S., he was awarded the School Board of Hernando County’s Hernando H.E.R.O.E.S. Award, and the Superintendent’s Excellence Award. Additionally, he received the National Band Association's Certificate of Merit for outstanding contributions to marching bands.
Michael adjudicates and designs for pageantry ensembles across the United States. He currently serves as an adjudicator for Bands of America, is the brass arranger for the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps, and music arranger for Virtual Arts, Inc. His music for college marching band has been performed during halftime at Superbowl XLVIII, as well as during numerous B.C.S. Bowl games. Prior to joining Colts’ educational staff, Michael was a visual technician for the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle corps, a conducting drum major and trumpeter for the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, and played mellophone for the Syracuse Brigadiers Drum & Bugle Corps.
Michael holds a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Syracuse University. As a graduate teaching assistant for the University of Florida bands he guest conducted the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band, taught undergraduate conducting lessons, and was a staff member and music designer for Florida's Marching Band.
Michael is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the National Band Association, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, and is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is happily married to his wife and best friend, Vivian. When he isn’t writing music or working with a musical ensemble, he enjoys traveling the world and experiencing the food culture wherever he goes.
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Michael J. Miller, Composer 