Earthdance

Michael Sweeney

Michael Sweeney

General Info

Year: 2010
Duration: c. 6:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00; (digital) - $65.00   |   Score Only (print) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba/String Bass
Synthesizer (optional)
Timpani (and Gong)
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Agogo Bells
• Bass Drum
• Bongos
• Chimes
• Concert Toms (4; two in a setup and one for Timpani)
• Conga
• Crash Cymbals
• Marimba (or Xylophone)
• Rain Stick
• Shaker
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Vibraphone (or Glockenspiel)
• Wind Chimes

Players snapping fingers

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Earthdance celebrates the natural rhythms and energy of our beloved planet. From the routine of day following night and the progression of seasons to the ebb and flow of the tides and cycle of water and wind, our own rhythms of existence are deeply connected with the environment that surrounds and nurtures us. Powerful displays of force and destruction (earthquakes, volcanoes, storms) are balanced with fragile beauty and life-giving abundance. We fear our “mother earth” when she is violent and bless her when she is calm. The journey through life on this planet may not always be smooth, but the highs and lows of the experience provides the ultimate dance for all of us.

- Program Note by composer

In celebration of mankind's connection to our planet, this extraordinary work for band uses an intriguing array of composition devices and captivating melodies. Listeners are immersed in a simulated rainstorm, the sounds of world drumming, overlapping tone clusters and textures, and finally a dance of jubilation as the piece comes to a satisfying and rewarding finish.

- Program Note from publisher

Commissioned by the Jefferson Junior High School Bands and Woodridge Organization of Music Parents, Woodridge, Ill., Keith Carlson, director.

- Program Note from score

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Georgia: IV
• Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP III
• Kansas: III
• Maryland: III
• Oregon: III-A
• Tennessee: III
• Wisconsin: Event 3000 Concert Band Grade B
• West Virginia: III

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Northwest Mississippi (Senatobia) Community College Symphonic Band (Jean-Pierre Mora, conductor) - 30 April 2026
• St. Gabriel the Archangel (Chestermere, Alb., Can.) Senior High Concert Band (Nicholas Allen, conductor) - 21 February 2026
• Laurier University (Waterloo, Ont., Can.) Wind Orchestra (LaToya A. Webb, conductor) - 6 February 2024
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) University Band (Kara Metzger, conductor) - 10 April 2023
• Rouge River Winds (Toronto, Ont., Can.) (Pratik Gandhi, conductor) - 22 October 2022
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) Honor Band (Eric W. Bush, conductor) – 1 March 2020
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock) University Band (Zebulon Bellon, conductor) – 3 March 2019
• Allegheny College (Pa.) Band Camp for Adult Musicians (Timothy Holton, conductor) - 29 June 2018
• Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) Concert Band (Sarah Wilson, conductor) – 2 May 2018
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) University Band (Nolan Hauta, conductor) - 1 May 2017
• Cupertino (Calif.) Symphonic Band (Jason McChristian, conductor) – 11 June 2017
• Three Oaks Senior High School (Summerside, PEI) Grade 10-12 Wind Ensemble (Krista Bryson, conductor) - 7 December 2016
• Lindblom Math and Science Academy (Chicago, Ill.) Advanced Band (Patrick Wall, conductor) – 14 May 2015

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Armed Forces on Parade (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007)
• Black Forest Overture (Flex instrumentation) (1996/2008)
• Born to be Wild (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1990/2006)
• Celtic Air and Dance (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007/2020)
• The Christmas Song (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1945/2011)
• Christmas Time Is Here (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1965/2003/2020)
• Circle of Life (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1994/2020)
• Down by the Salley Gardens (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2006/2017)
• The Forge of Vulcan (Flex instrumentation) (1997/2013)
• Highlights from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1994/2018)
• Imperium (Flex instrumentation) (1992/2020)
• Knights of Destiny (Flex instrumentation) (2000/2011)
• Pictures at an Exhibition (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1874/2012)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2003/2006)
• Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1937/2019)
• West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1957/2015)
• White Christmas (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1940/2006)

All Wind Works

• Across the Northern Sky (2022)
• Algona Crossing (2017)
• An American Salute (1989)
• Ancient Voices (1994)
• And I Love Her (as arranger) (1964/)
• Armed Forces on Parade (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2007)
• Aztalan (2009)
• Beyond the Seven Hills (1999)
• Black Forest Overture (1996)
• Black Forest Overture (Flex instrumentation) (1996/2008)
• Blue Mambo (2017)
• Born to be Wild (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1990/2006)
• Call of the Champions (as arranger)
• Cayuga Lake Overture (2006)
• Celtic Air and Dance (2007)
• Celtic Air and Dance No. 2 (2008)
• Celtic Air and Dance No. 3 (2011)
• Celtic Air and Dance No. 4 (2018)
• Celtic Air and Dance No. 5 (2020)
• Celtic Air and March (2014)
• Celtic Farewell (2016)
• Chester (as arranger) (2020)
• The Christmas Song (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1945/2011)
• Christmas Time Is Here (as arranger) (1965)
• Christmas Time Is Here (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Sweeney) (1965/2003/2020)
• Circle of Life (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1994/2020)
• Coldwater Crossing (2010)
• Corinthium (1994)
• Crossings in Time (2006)
• Dakota (1996)
• Dance of the Spirits (2011)
• Dansbury Run (2013)
• Dialogues (2003)
• Distant Horizons (1995)
• Distant Thunder of the Sacred Forest (2003)
• Dixieland Bash (1989)
• Down by the Salley Gardens (as arranger) (2006)
• Down by the Salley Gardens (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2006/2017)
• Down to the River (as arranger) (2019)
• Due North (2014)
• Earth and Sky (2013)
• Earthdance (2010)
• Emerald Awakening (2012)
• Equinox (1993)
• Fanfare and March (2004)
• Fanfare and Presto (1998)
• Farandole (as arranger)
• Fires of Mazama (2005)
• The Forge of Vulcan (1997)
• The Forge of Vulcan (Flex instrumentation) (1997/2013)
• Fractures in Time (2017)
• Gates of Orion (1997)
• Gathering in the Glen (2010)
• Great Movie Adventures (as arranger) (2006)
• Greensleeves (as arranger) (2008)
• The Groovemeister (1993)
• Half Moon on the Hudson (2007)
• A Hard Day's Night. See: Selections from "A Hard Day's Night"
• High Water Mark: The Third Day (2002)
• Highlights from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1968/1994/2018)
• Horkstow Grange from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as arranger)
• Hudson River Run (2020)
• Hymn to the Fallen (as arranger) (1998/2000)
• Imperium (1992)
• Imperium (Flex instrumentation) (1992/2020)
• Irish Rising (as arranger) (2016)
• John Williams: Movie Adventures (as arranger) (1977/1999)
• Kinesis (2004)
• Knights of Destiny (2000)
• Knights of Destiny (Flex instrumentation) (2000/2011)
• Kokomo (as arranger) (1988/)
• Lament and Tribal Dances (2001)
• Last Full Measure (2013)
• Legend of Devil's Lake (2011)
• Legends in the Mist (1996)
• Lincoln Legacy (1999)
• Lisbon from "Lincolnshire Posy" (as adapter) (1937/2017)
• Lost Lady Found (as arranger) (1937/2011)
• Marches of the Armed Forces (as arranger) (1991)
• Memory (as arranger)
• Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (as arranger)
• Moai (2017)
• Monmouth Overture (1999)
• Music from ''Les Misérables" (as arranger) (1980/1998)
• Music from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (as arranger) (1977/2016)
• Music from "Wicked" (as arranger) (2003/2005)
• Mystic Dance (1999)
• Night on Bald Mountain (as arranger) (2004)
• Northland Pines (2013)
• On Joyful Wing (2018)
• On the Edge of Tomorrow (2009)
• On the Wings of Swallows (2000)
• Out of the Shadows (2003)
• Paine Mountain Legacy (2020)
• Pantheon (1999)
• Panther Rising (2019)
• Particles (2014)
• Passages (2009)
• The Path Not Taken (2019)
• Pegasus (2001)
• Pictures at an Exhibition (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1874/2012)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (as arranger) (2006)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2003/2006)
• Pop and Rock Legends: Music of the Beatles (as arranger) (2010)
• Prelude and Pursuit (2013)
• Quad City Stomp (2008)
• River Rendezvous (2016)
• River of Hope (2009)
• River of the Ancients (2004)
• Rock, River, Tree (2015)
• Root Beer Rag (as arranger) (1974/1981)
• The Royal Tower (2001)
• Rumble on the High Plains (2005)
• Salute to the Duke (1999)
• Sawdust City Celebration (2013)
• Secret Valley (2024)
• Selections from "A Hard Day's Night" (as arranger) (1964/1999)
• Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (as arranger) (1967/2007)
• Shenandoah (as arranger) (2003)
• Shorewood Overture (2014)
• Silverbrook (2006)
• A Simple Song (as arranger) (2011)
• Sleepsong (as arranger) (2019)
• Song for Hope (2011)
• Southern Folk Rhapsody (2005)
• Southwind (as arranger) (2015)
• Spirit of Avalon (1998)
• Spring City Overture (2015)
• Stardance (2012)
• Strike Force (2007)
• Suite from "MASS" (as arranger)
• Summon the Heroes (as arranger)
• Swamp Rabbit Stomp (2016)
• Swing the Mood (as arranger) (1990)
• Theme from "Jurassic Park" (as arranger) (1993/2016)
• Themes from "The Black Panther" (as arranger) (2018)
• Themes from "First Suite in E-flat" (as arranger) (1909/2006)
• Themes from "New World Symphony" (as arranger) (1893)
• To Soar with Eagles (2013)
• Troy! (2009)
• Trumpet Tune (as arranger) (2001)
• Two Movements from "Lincolnshire Posy" (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1937/2019)
• Valley of Fire (1998)
• Variants on an American Hymn (2000)
• Viking (2016)
• Villages (2014)
• We Don't Talk About Bruno (as arranger) (2021/2022)
• West Side Story (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1957/2015)
• When the Sun Breaks Through the Mist (2006)
• White Christmas (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1940/2006)
• Wildcat Valley Fanfare (2017)
• Wilderness Scenes (2004)
• The Willow Tree (as arranger) (1995/2018)
• Woodland Odyssey (2002)
• Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon (as arranger) (1949/2006)
• Year of the Dragon (2000)

Resources

• Perusal score