What this is
I'm writing a short opener that will exist in two versions — one for concert band, one for full orchestra.
It's designed to come together quickly, be both accessible and modern, and is informed by conversations I've had with directors over the years.
This consortium will bring this piece to life. Members are listed permanently in both scores, receive the music before anyone else, and appear in the credits of the professionally produced Budapest Scoring Orchestra video.
TWO WAYS TO JOIN
* Inscription in score:
The following conductors and ensembles supported this work before its public release.
Their early commitment reflects the essential role that conductors, educators, and performers play in the creation and growth of new music for the large ensemble.
Join as a
Founding Conductor
$45
-
Full score (PDF or Printed)
-
Name listed in both the orchestral and band score.
-
Name listed in credits of professional video recording. (See an example here)
-
Any ensemble you are conducting— your own program, a guest appearance, an honor group — may purchase parts at $105 during the exclusivity period.
-
You may join both the band and orchestra versions and receive the score for both ($75)
*Listed as:
Your Name, conductor
Join as a
Founding Ensemble
$115
-
Score and Parts
-
Ensemble and conductor name listed in both the orchestral and band score.
-
Ensemble and conductor name listed in credits of professional video recording. (See an example here)
-
If you already know you'll program it, this is the better value.
-
You may join both the band and orchestra versions and receive the score and parts for both ($200)
*Listed as:
Ensemble Name | Your Name, conductor
Prefer to pay by invoice/ check?
PROJECT DETAILS
Deadline to Join:
December 10, 2026
(Late join period through January 7 at higher rate)
Music Delivery:
January 8, 2027
Exclusivity:
Through May 31, 2027
(Nobody outside of this consortium can perform the work until the public release.)
Public Release:
June 1, 2027
Piece Duration/ Difficulty:
c. 3 minutes | c. Grade 3
Inspiration:
This music celebrates the power and strength that comes from singular events, people, and moments. Particularly, it is inspired by the impact of music-making in large ensembles— the ripple effect that a single concert can have on those there to experience it.
Example of a previous recording (this is With Eyes Anew)
Joining either the band or orchestra version will add you to the credits of the Budapest Scoring Orchestra video.
The audio recording will release on streaming platforms (Spotify, etc.) in the winter.
The full video will be released Spring/ Summer 2027.
THE MUSIC
This is a preview of what has been written thus far in the orchestral version. More updates soon.
Note that engraving is incomplete.
Band version preview coming soon.
Both versions will have the same material and form, but each will be reimagined to highlight the specific keys, colors, and characteristics that make each ensemble successful.
(See below for specific differences between versions.)
What to expect...
This music was created following direct conversations with directors.
This project is part of the Purposeful Repertoire Collection and Modern Orchestra Initiative — prioritizing thoughtful orchestration, attainable technique, and emotional depth to remain practical but rewarding for ensembles with limited rehearsal time or mixed experience levels.
A piano part with clear pedal markings and modest technique.
Quickly readable by a hired pianist.
Accessible for a member from within your ensemble with modest piano skills.
(Well-covered by percussion in the band version if a pianist is out of the question.)
Scalar runs.
They've played some version of every run before. Less time on relentless reps means more time on the music.
Powerful brass is often moved out of their way so that the woodwinds and/ or strings hard work isn't buried.
Active, attainable brass parts.
Brass musicians are engaged throughout without exhausting them — showcasing their power but in a comfortable range so they don't lose their chops on the first piece of the concert.
Appropriate doublings and cues.
Not enough horns? Not enough trumpets? Only one oboe?
Much of this music is well-doubled without growing cumbersome for ensembles with the full instrumentation.
The occasional solo is cued in other parts.
Struggling with your specific instrumentation?
These are exactly the conversations I am looking to have to help all ensembles in the community.
Get in touch and let's see if we can build a solution into this project or our next one.
Concert Band Specifics
A part of the Purposeful Repertoire Collection
Standard band instrumentation.
Piano is the only outside resource required — a hired accompanist or a strong student covers it.
Mallet parts will cover the same material as the piano, so ensembles without a pianist can use marimba, vibes, and glockenspiel instead.
Additional percussion will be optional and additive — enough to keep a full section engaged, never required to make the piece work.
The band version is being written through October and November. If your ensemble has a specific instrumentation situation, now is the window where it can shape the piece. Get in touch.
Orchestra Specifics
A part of the Modern Orchestra Initiative
2.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1 – Strings – Piano
Standard orchestral instrumentation.
No harp, no percussion, no doublings on auxiliary instruments — piano is the only addition.
Strings stay in comfortable positions. The challenge is rhythm and style, not intonation in the upper register.
Trumpet 1 extends just barely above the staff, horns stay within it, trombone and tuba sit comfortably. No long stretches of counting before a first entrance.
Being finished this fall and recorded this winter by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra.
Follow the Release
Sign up to receive my monthly newsletter including updates, excerpts, and the release announcement.
Questions or requests?
Please reach out if there's anything I can do to help as you explore this piece.
Need a transposed part to make it work? Request one!
FAQs
Will my name be in both the band and orchestra score?
Yes. Even if you only join one or the other, your name will be in both scores and the credits for the full orchestra recording.
What if I can't program it this spring?
That's completely fine. Your name still goes in the score and you keep the music — play it next fall, or whenever a gap opens up.
Can I join as a conductor and have my ensemble or an honor band/ orchestra buy parts later?
Yes. Any ensemble you conduct can purchase parts during the exclusivity period at the standard price. The conductor tier is available so that conductors can buy-in without having to work around budgets and fiscal year timing constraints.
Can I join as a conductor even if I don't have an ensemble?
Yes. One of the goals of this tier is to allow graduate students and others who are "between gigs" to join.
PDF or printed?
At the conductor level, same price either way — choose whichever you'd rather have.
Printed scores are watermark-free and shipped free within the US.
PDF score and parts will have the licensing watermark at the bottom of each page.
COMPOSER
Kevin Poelking
Kevin Poelking's music for band and orchestra has been performed on six continents. Honors include Winner of The American Prize, the WASBE International Composition Competition, and the Dallas Winds Fanfare Competition, with performances by The Dallas Winds and The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," and recordings by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, and Zagreb Sinfonietta.
Recent consortium projects have brought together programs including Penn State, Arizona State, the University of Minnesota, and the Lone Star Youth Wind Orchestra, alongside dozens of high school, community and professional ensembles.
Poelking came to composition full-time after nearly fifteen years teaching and conducting, from fourth grade through university. That time in rehearsal rooms continues to shape music built around strong musical ideas and the realities of the ensembles that play it.
JOIN THE CONSORTIUM
Questions or requests:
Prefer to pay by invoice or check?
Follow on Social Media or join my newsletter for occasional project updates
Previous Consortium and Commissioning Partners
More than 60 ensembles and conductors collaborating across five countries.
(Listed as affiliated at the time of participation.)
Adams 12 Five Star School District
Alabama Winds
Randall Coleman
Arizona State University Wind Bands
Jamal Duncan
Augustana Symphonic Band
James M. Lambrecht
The Big River Brass Band
Nicolas Propes
Boltz Middle School
Phuong Nguyen
Chattahoochee High School
Nick Garofalo
Cherry Creek Honors Orchestra
Christopher Newport University
Dr. Mark U. Reimer
Clements High School Orchestra
Neal Springer
Cody Ray
Conductor
Colorado State University
Rebecca Phillips, Jayme Taylor
El Sistema Colorado
Ingrid Larragoity
Elon University
Jonathan Poquette
Fort Collins Wind Symphony
Rebecca Phillips
Fossil Ridge High School
Aaron Herman
Fourth Baptist Christian School
Levi Kolwinska
Georgia Tech Concert Bands
Benjamin Diden
Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras
Erik Johnson
Holy Family Catholic School
Nicholas Gledhill
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Zach Cheever
Kansas State University Wind Ensemble
Frank Tracz
Kickapoo High School Wind Ensemble
Aaron Scriven
Lesher Middle School
Charlotte Boyce
Livermore High School Chamber Strings
Justin Enright
Liverpool High School Symphonic Band
Stephen Salem
The Lone Star Wind Orchestra
for the Lone Star Youth Winds
Andrew Trachsel
Loyola University New Orleans Wind Ensemble
Alan W. Mills
Luther College
Cory Near
Michael Stoodley
Conductor
Ottawa, Canada
Michael S. Yonchak
Conductor
Milam Elementary School
Cooper Haywood & Barrett Gray
Miliz-und Trachtenkapelle Oberharmersbach
Rüdiger Müller
Oberharmersbach, Germany
Minnesota Symphonic Winds
Timothy Mahr & Paul Kile
Moravian University
JoAnn Wieszcyk
National Academic Symphonic Band of Ukraine
Ivan Stetskyi
Kyiv, Ukraine
Northwest Missouri State University
Kathryn Strickland
Oklahoma Baptist University
Timothy Kaiser
Palmer Lake Elementary School
Will Gamache
Pass Christian School District
Zachary Walley
Penn State University
Robert Hickey
Elke Overton
Conductor
Rochester Century High School Bands
Amanda Kaus
Rock Springs High School Band
Konner Hafner
Sarah Jo Aymond
Conductor
Southeast Polk High School
Gabriel Schott
Southeastern Louisiana Wind Symphony
Robert Schwartz
Stratus Chamber Orchestra
Adam Torres
Troy University Symphonic Band
Jerianne Larson
UDESMA 45
L'Union Départementale des Ecoles et
Sociétés Musicales et Artistiques du Loiret
Bou, Loiret — France
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
Betsy McCann
University of Northern Colorado
Wesley Broadnax
University of Northwestern St. Paul
Cassandra Bechard
University of Saskatchewan Wind Orchestra
Mark Tse
University of South Carolina
Quintus F. Wrighten Jr.
University of St. Thomas
Matthew George
The University of Tulsa Wind Ensemble
Matthew Schepers
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Wind Ensemble
Martin I. Gaines
Utah Tech University Symphonic Band
Bryant Smith
Washington State University
Jonathan Sweet
Waukee Middle School
Mary Crandell