Arizona Centennial Projects

Celebrate the Commemoration of Arizona’s First 100 Years of Statehood: February 2011 – December 2012

Arizona Centennial Musical Compositions

Arizona composers Sy Brandon and James DeMars, and librettist Alberto Rios, were selected by the Arizona Commission on the Arts to create musical compositions in celebration of the Arizona Centennial (February 2011 – December 2012). The musical compositions – one choral and one for concert band and orchestra – are available for performance by a wide variety of musicians, including high school, college/university, community, faith-based and professional or semi-professional ensembles. The commissioned works are celebratory in nature and reflective of the unique historical and cultural aspects of the state.

The artists are available to make appearances, give guest lectures and for guest conducting. Please contact James DeMars (demars@asu.edu) or Dr. Sy Brandon (sybrandon@gmail.com) or Alberto Rios (aarios@asu.edu) directly for more information.

Click here to download a schedule of performances of the Arizona Centennial Musical Compositions.

Choral Score – “Turquoise and Thunderstorm”

Click to download a pdf of the choral score or listen to a sample of “Turquoise and Thunderstorm” by Dr. James DeMars and Alberto Rios.

1. Turquoise and Thunderstorm SATB a cappella

1a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm CHORUS a cappella sample

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2. Turquoise and Thunderstorm SATB a cappella + pno redux

3. Turquoise and Thunderstorm SATB + pno. accomp

3a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm CHORUS + pno sample

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4. Turquoise and Thunderstorm MENS CHORUS a cappella

4a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm MENS CHORUS a cappella sample

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5. Turquoise and Thunderstorm MENS CHORUS + pno

5a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm MENS CHORUS + pno sample

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6. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (low) a cappella

6a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (low) a cappella sample

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7. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (low) + pno

7a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (low) + pno sample

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8. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (high) + pno. accomp

8a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (high) + pno sample

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8b. Turquoise and Thunderstorm WOMENS CHORUS (high) a cappella sample

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9. Turquoise and Thunderstorm Cued pno. accomp

NEW! 10. Turquoise and Thunderstorm Song Lead Sheet (updated 08/10/11)

NEW! 10. Turquoise and Thunderstorm “Simple Folk Song” Words and Changes (updated 08/10/11)

NEW! 10a. “Scratch Demo” Turquoise and Thunderstorm” sample (updated 08/10/11)

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11. Turquoise and Thunderstorm JAZZ Song Lead Sheet

11. Turquoise and Thunderstorm JAZZ Song (chord voicings)

11a. Turquoise and Thunderstorm JAZZ Song sample

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Band & Orchestral Score – “Arizona Centennial Overture”

Click to download a pdf of the band/orchestral score or listen to a sample of “Arizona Centennial Overture” by Dr. Sy Brandon. To learn more about the process of creating this composition, please visit Dr. Sy Brandon’s composing blog, at http://composinginsights.blogspot.com.

Arizona Centennial Overture Program Notes

Arizona Centennial Overture Performance Notes

Arizona Centennial Overture_band_easier

Arizona Centennial Overture band easier parts

Arizona Centennial Overture band easier sample

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Arizona Centennial Overture_advanced_band

Arizona Centennial Overture advanced band parts

Arizona Centennial Overture advanced band sample

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Arizona Centennial Overture_chamber orch

Arizona Centennial Overture chamber orch parts

Arizona Centennial Overture chamber orch sample

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Arizona Centennial Overture_orchestra

Arizona Centennial Overture orchestra parts

Arizona Centennial Overture orchestra parts sample

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More about the Composers and Librettist:

Dr. Sy Brandon (Cottonwood, AZ) – Concert Band and Orchestra

Dr. Brandon holds the rank of professor emeritus of music from Millerville University, Millerville, Pennsylvania, where he taught for 24 years. His work has been recorded by the Czech National Symphony, the Philharminia Bulgarica and the Kiev Philharmonic. His commissions include the Boise Philharmonic and the York Symphony Orchestra. He has been recognized with numerous awards including the New England String Ensemble Competition, WITF-FM Classical Composition Contest and the annual ASCAP Special Award. His music has been performed live and via broadcast both in the United States and abroad, on NPR, Animal Planet and MTV’s Never Before Seen.

James DeMars (Tempe, AZ) – Choral

James DeMars’ compositions have been performed by the New York Choral Society, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Wuppertal Orchestra (Germany) and the Phoenix Symphony, to name a few. DeMars has been commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Heard Museum, Flinn Foundation, Art Renaissance Foundation and the European-American Foundation. As a conductor, DeMars’ performances include the national premiere of his work, An American Requiem at the Kennedy Center and national televised performances at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He holds a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and currently teaches composition at Arizona State University.

Alberto Rios (Chandler, AZ) – Librettist

Alberto Rios is the author of several collections of poetry, including books that have been nominated for the National Book Award and won the 1981 Walt Whitman Award, selected by Donald Justice. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including six Pushcart Prizes in both poetry and fiction categories, an Arizona Governor’s Arts Award and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Since 1994, Rios has been Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University, where he has taught since 1982.

Other Resources

Arizona’s Centennial Celebration offers a time to plan events and activities in honor of our state’s vibrant culture and rich heritage. Commemorate the history and traditions that have shaped our state through a mural project, festival, community concert, theatrical production, parade, artist residency or art exhibition. Explore the listed Arizona artist rosters to discover artists for your community project.

Arizona Commission on the Arts: Teaching Artist Roster

Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture: Artspace

ShowUp.com: Artist Profile Directory

Tubac Center of the Arts: Artist Directory

Tucson Pima Arts Council: Artist Roster

West Valley Arts Council: Cultural Resources Directory

The arts help us to define our collective history, to celebrate our diverse cultures and to imagine a bright future for our state.

Visit http://arizona100.org/, the official Arizona Centennial website, for more information about this historical celebration.