2023-24 Commission Project
Our 7th & 8th Grade Band opened the 2023 Collage concert with Breakthrough, an energetic new work by composer Tyler S. Grant. After enjoying this well-crafted work and having previously programmed several of his pieces that combine quality music with student appeal, we contacted Tyler about the possibility of commissioning him to write a new piece of music for our bands. This began our exciting commission progect which provided our students with a valuable look into the composition process and opportunities to interact with a composer.
Tyler is a talented Atlanta-based composer whose first published work was a piece that he wrote for his middle school band when he was only 13 years old. In fact, we programmed that piece as soon as it was released back in 2009, and our Sixth Grade Band will be performing it again in the Spring of 2023. Still in his 20’s, Tyler has an impressive catalog of works for band, and he continues to compose high-quality literature for young bands like ours.
His music is featured regularly in performances by both region and all state honor ensembles and is also featured annually on Editor’s or Publisher’s Choice Repertoire Lists around the world. His work, Panoramic Fanfare, was a winner of the Dallas Wind Symphony’s 2014 “Call for Fanfares” Competition..He was recently recognized by JW Pepper as one of "3 Outstanding Composers to Keep Your Eye On.”
Thanks to all that generously donated to our Commission Project! Because of your support, we were able to meet our goal and fully fund this commission in less than a year's time. We are looking forward to presenting Under the Ice, an exciting new work for concert band that will forever be tied to the MTSD Bands.
Thank you so much for supporting music in our schools, and thanks to the families who donated to this project:
Commission Project Sponsors ($250 and above)
The Smith (Rylan) Family
The Robinson Family
The Chromy Family
The Koch Family
The Plahna Family
The D'Cruz Family
The Straus/Levin Family
Brass Bell Music Store
Composition Sponsors ($150 and above)
White House of Music
Samuel and Charlotte Feigles
The Kuck Family
Melodic Line Sponsors ($100 and above)
The Krajewski Family
The Bleidorn/Ludwig Family
The Crawford Family
The Somerhalder Family
The McDonald Family
The Hitchcock Family
The Espinosa Family
The Feigles Family
Musical Phrase Sponsors ($50 and above)
The Karst Family
The Willis Family
The Mansfield Family
The Millard Family
The Usatinsky Family
The Keaveny-Gilgenbach Family
The Urbani Family
The Kennedy Family
Measure Sponsors ($25 and above)
Laurel Tippe
The Vandermeuse Family