Around the Spring of 2015 I programed a percussion ensemble for the Florida Bandmasters Association’s district solo and ensemble music performance assessment. The piece was for four or five percussionists, and included independent technical passages passed from player to player. I sought to practice this technique by composing a work for concert band, and began writing what I thought was a fanfare.
Percussion interlude in Cosmic Expedition
I knew I wanted syncopated brass statements and busy percussion parts, but was initially unsure of what to do with the woodwind voices. I created what I call a sound-screen by scoring repeated two-note fragments alternating in divisi. When properly balanced the result sounds like a written-out trill. The rest of the piece wrote itself over a few busy months of high school band directing.
Sound-screen at the opening of Cosmic Expedition
In the end I had a piece that to me sounded like an adventure. After googling some synonyms I settled on the title Expedition for Band. My only other publication for band at the time was Tribute for Band with Alfred Music, so I sent Expedition off to Bob Sheldon and Alfred’s acquisition team. Unfortunately, however it didn’t fit their needs at the time.
Years back through a mutual acquaintance I had met Larry Clark, then Vice President and chief concert band editor for Carl Fischer Music. So I sent Expedition to Larry to see what he thought of it. I was delighted when he agreed to publish it. It was in our initial correspondence that Larry expressed the importance of a marketable title (a future blog post). Expedition, he said, was too generic. So I turned to the one person I trust in helping me with titles, my wife. Without telling her anything about the piece, I asked her to listen and react on what she heard. Her response? “It sounds like Star Wars.” Cosmic Expedition was born.
Cosmic Expedition published by Carl Fischer Music.
Before being renamed and accepted for publication, Expedition had received two performances. Its official world premiere was done by the University of Florida Symphonic Band conducted by John “Jay” Watkins. It was later performed by Dr. Matt McCutchen’s University of South Florida based B.A.Y. (Bay Area Youth) Winds high school honor band.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, Jay Watkins was in charge of acquiring commissions for Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. When he asked to give Cosmic Expedition a commission, I gratefully accepted. Some months later I was informed that the commission would be premiered at the 2018 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic by the Texas based Woodlands Concert Band. What’s more, it was to be conducted by Richard Crain, President of the Midwest Clinic!
Me and Richard Crain at the Wednesday night rehearsal before Midwest performance.
As this was my first performance at Midwest it will forever remain one of the most special concerts I’ve ever attended. It went beautifully, and was extremely well attended. I was quite nervous beforehand, and am now eternally grateful for the experience. Here’s to (hopefully) many more!
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 