Pluto in Focus (2015)

Grade 4 • 7:00 • published by Sonic Soundscape Productions

Performance: The American Band | Conductor: Dr. Brian Cardeny

PROGRAM NOTES

During July of 2015, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft visited the dwarf planet Pluto and took astonishing photographs of this very distant world in our solar system. Never before had this celestial body been seen with such resounding clarity, and now, with Pluto in focus, astronomers could understand much more of its makeup, content, and possible history. This made world news and the “heart-shaped” image visible on one of Pluto’s faces quickly became it’s distinguishing and rememberable features.

Composer Roger Cichy has taken this subject to create a musical work symbolizing NASA's New Horizons spacecraft’s journey into the little-known region of our solar system. Commissioned by the Iowa Bandmasters Association North Central District, Pluto in Focus captures NASA’s attempt to gain more understanding of the cosmos, particularly the little known dwarf planet Pluto. The work begins with a variety of mystifying overtones as New Horizons treks into the little known reaches of the solar system. The following section portrays the arrival of the spacecraft into Pluto’s orbit and its technologies that begin to photographically map the dwarf planet in stunning detail. Uncovered in these astonishing photographs are the many land formations that now give astronomers a much clearer understanding of Pluto as well as the heart-shaped land formation that has become Pluto’s trademark.

INSTRUMENTATION

Winds: Piccolo, Flute 1 & 2, Oboe, Bassoon, Bb Clarinet 1 - 3, Eb Alto Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, Eb Contra Alto Clarinet, Eb Alto Saxophones 1 & 2, Bb Tenor Saxophone, Eb Baritone Saxophone 

Brass: Bb Trumpet 1 - 3, F Horn 1 & 2, Trombone 1 - 3, Euphonium, Tuba

Percussion: Timpani, Percussion 1 (snare drum, bass drum), Percussion 2 (crash cymbals, 4 concert toms, suspended cymbal, xylophone, tam-tam, triangle), Percussion 3 (xylophone, orchestra bells, chimes, vibraphone)