Description

God Architectured the World and then in the greatest Storm, Architectured Man, granting Him the miraculous ability to Architecture Himself and His surroundings.

Composed on the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, THE FOUNTAINHEAD was humbly rededicated on 11 September 2001. Concrete and steel and great effort may fall, but Integrity, Faith and the Indomitable Aspiration to reach again and again for the best above us and in all of us forever stands as a MONUMENT TO THE SPIRIT OF MAN.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD is designed to work across a MUSIC PROGRAM. Let's say that in your program or district, you have a 9th grade band (or a middle school band), a concert band, and a wind ensemble, or symphonic band made up of your finest players. Here's the 26 minute design:

1. Integrity's First Stand 9th Grade Band
2. Form & Function Concert Group
3. Where Beauty Has No Chance Wind Symphony
4. From Quarry to Quest Wind Symphony
5. Dynamiting Cortlandt Percussion Ensemble
6. Monument to the Spirit of Man All Musical Groups

The "younger" pieces are more rhythmically energized and seem to be more difficult. Great weight has been given to the learning experience.

The Upper Group(s) is left with the demanding task of taking those long, full, languid moments, and filling them with the Beauty of the sensitive Musician.

Other Options for THE FOUNTAINHEAD:

1. Each movement may be rendered as a separate work.
2. A 3-movement work may be taken from the whole.
3. One ensemble may play the entire work.
4. All 3 groups, or 2, or 4... whatever, can be on stage for the entire piece.
5. You can add the groups in at dramatic moments to intensify the climaxes and so on.
6. Or, each group can await its time to play, joining gloriously in the finale!

The piece may be divided in this way. The first movement is rendered at the Middle School's Spring Concert. An invitation is made at that concert to attend the high school's spring concert in which parents and students can hear the rest of the work. There are many ways to utilize THE FOUNTAINHEAD to generate interest across the grade levels, and literally create a BRIDGE between groups, unify the town's Music department, and more.

It is the beginning a process called STORMQuest, but more on that later.

Please visit the Score and Score Notes for more detailed information.

This piece is from the STORMWORKS Chapter 1 CD.

Testimonials

"All of your compositions are great teaching tools for each group that we have playing them this year. In addition to sounding great, they also have an enormous amount of educational content. Our high school band rendered The Fountainhead earlier this year, and it was one of the most remarkable concerts I have been part of since graduating college. When we were done, the audience was in a state of shock. The emotions that the kids played with completely overtook the audience. It was a remarkable experience for all that were present. I wanted to let you know that your music has made a tremendous impact on all of my students. Thank you so much." -Colin Kading

"I have been a teacher since 1976, and our ensembles have played with the best. No one has made an impression on our students, parents and community like this piece, THE FOUNTAINHEAD, and this man. I still feel like I know a lot less about music than I need to - but I know this: If in fact music REALLY IS what cannot be expressed with words... this man writes real music. Our premiere of The Fountainhead was the most powerful moment in time I have ever experienced. A performance that was "sold out" a full week in advance, a wonderful week of preparation with the composer that created an aura about the piece,interaction with a man - as a composer, a conductor and more importantly, a teacher - who believes intensely in his message, and as a result, captured the hearts and minds of the young people who were involved in the premiere. This was, and remains, the most powerful musical experience of my time as a teacher of music. When you want to do something your students will: learn from, love, practice, give their total hearts and souls to : play Steve's music. We all thank Steve for the special experience that, even three years later, remains intensely special to our students, our parents and our community." -William Palange, Oswego High School, New York