The Sun Always Shines was commissioned for ALL to remember.
When Band Directors Talk Shop first started talking with Eric Rath about commissioning a piece in honor of beloved band director Randy Storie, we all agreed:
- We wanted the work to be PERFORMED.
- We wanted Mr. Storie to be remembered and celebrated.
- We wanted band directors to be motivated by his legacy.
- We wanted the world to know about his dedication to his students, his band and the pursuit of excellence.
When planning the piece, everyone agreed that antiphonal brass was the way to go. For those of you who have been a part of an antiphonal brass performance, you understand why. The musical experience is incredible. And Mr. Storie LOVED to give his students amazing musical experiences.
About Eric Rath
Eric Rath is an active educator, clinician, adjudicator, arranger and composer. Mr. Rath has served as a band and orchestra director as well as a percussion specialist at the Middle and High School levels. Previously, Mr. Rath also served as the adjunct Percussion Instructor at Amarillo College. Mr. Rath has works for band published by Alfred Music, FJH Music, TRN Music and BRS Music. Several of those titles are included on state recommended lists including Texas, Louisiana and Alabama. His percussion ensembles are also widely performed and have been adopted as recommended repertoire in a vast number of states.
This was the first in our series of commissioned works for band that we gifted to our newsletter list. If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter for future free resources similar to this, please subscribe here. (You will NOT get The Sun Always Shines, but will get whatever resource we happen to be giving away at the time.)
About the Work
The Sun Always Shines was written to celebrate the life and career of longtime band director, Randy Storie.
His legacy continues to be a tour de force as many of his previous students and co-workers have taken up his approach to music education and keep it alive in their own classrooms. The piece starts slowly and poignantly and even features a brief euphonium solo (Mr. Storie’s instrument). Early on, it became clear that two major movements to the piece would emerge: one marked “Adagio e Rubato” and the other simply marked “Allegro.” Mr. Storie’s personality was big and he was never short on opinions, so I hoped to capture that in the Allegro section. The melodies are clear and decisive, just as the man himself was.
While I was never his student or colleague, I learned a lot from him by observing his rehearsals as a college student and young teacher at the West Texas A&M University Band Camp. It was there that I learned that one of his favorite pieces was the band transcription of the Finale from Vasily Kalinnikov’s First Symphony. The Finale features an iconic use of antiphonal brass and I think that was one of the major draws to this piece for Mr. Storie. It seemed right that The Sun Always Shines should feature antiphonal brass as well and so rather than write something reminiscent of the Kalinnikov, I simply used it and fit it within the context of my own writing. (You’ll recognize it instantly — it’s the part that sounds ten times better than anything I could ever write in my lifetime!)
Lastly, I could have easily slipped into making this a piece that was more of a medley of Mr. Storie’s favorite music, but I wanted to write something that would be a new work and hopefully be something that he would want to perform with his own bands. To that end, I chose to use melodic quotation sparingly (with apologies to Vasily!), but if you listen closely, you might hear a few musical Easter eggs. I’ll let you be the judge as to what you think you hear or don’t hear.
About Randy Storie
Randy Storie graduated from Odessa High School and then West Texas State University (now WTAMU). Mr. Storie began his 45-year teaching career in Plano ISD as an assistant director, followed by positions Mesquite, Fort Stockton and Midland. In 1980, he was named Director of Bands at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, a position he held for over 30 years. He was loved and respected. He will long be remembered for the passion he had for band, mentoring young directors and making a difference in the lives of his students and friends.
The World Premiere
“The Sun Always Shines” was premiered by the Symphonic Band, under the direction of Paul Worosello, at the West Texas A&M University Band Camp in 2019. The Symphonic Band is the second highest of nine bands at this 2 week summer camp in Canyon, Texas. There are 5 high school bands and 4 middle school bands, comprised of 700-900 students. Attendees to the camp receive high quality instruction during daily band rehearsals, woodwind and brass/percussion section rehearsals and instrument specific master classes. Students also participate in electives such as jazz band, woodwind or brass ensemble, rhythmic reading, reed making and more, as well as having the opportunity to take private lessons.
Alongside the student band camp, runs Band Directors’ Workshop. This is a one or two week professional development opportunity for directors to observe rehearsals, attend in-depth clinics, participate in pedagogical discussions and develop new friendships. Find more information HERE.
This was the first in our series of commissioned works for band that we gifted to our newsletter list. If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter for future free resources similar to this, please subscribe here. (You will NOT get The Sun Always Shines, but will get whatever resource we happen to be giving away at the time.)
Click here to purchase The Sun Always Shines.
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