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When asked to write a work for a local honor band in my hometown in Carrollton, I decided to take a look through younger memories. I remember starting on my saxophone and not being quite good at it and then I remembered going into sixth grade band and getting our first piece of music. It was hard work and a lot of wrong notes but at the end of it, the hard work paid off. It felt like a hard climb up a mountain. Then with time we finally reach the top of this small- but at the time huge- mountain. Young band is about taking those new challenges and finding yourself, finding others, and reaching those goals- it’s a skyward journey. And that’s when the theme of this piece finally came to me.   SKYWARD explores the moment in life where you reach towards the top of a new challenge. The work is designed for younger bands to give them a challenge and a goal of working together.  With exciting ostinatos and alluring melodies to tell a story filled with bravery, challenges, and heart, this is SKYWARD.