Eruption!

Eruption! tells the dramatic story of a small town devastated by a volcanic eruption, beginning with the joyful innocence of a community unaware of the danger beneath them. As tension builds through rumbling percussion, the volcano violently erupts, unleashing a thrilling percussion feature filled with electronic elements and dubstep influences. The third movement reflects on the aftermath with a mournful horn solo and sparse textures, slowly shifting to hope and determination. The final movement celebrates resilience and rebirth, featuring energetic rhythms and powerful quotes from Stravinsky’s Firebird as the town rebuilds. Commissioned by Laura Ketchum and the Flushing High School Marching Band for their 2012 season, Eruption helped propel the group to a top finish at the Michigan Competing Band Association State Championships.

• • Original Music by John Max McFarland

Show Duration: 7:56

Tempo Range: 78, 164 BPM

Difficulty Levels:

• Brass: 4
• Woodwind: 3
  
• Battery: 4
• Front Ensemble: 3

Instrumentation: 

• Winds:
  
  • Piccolo
  • Flute
    
  • Clarinet 1, 2
  • Alto Saxophone 1, 2
  • Tenor Saxophone
    
  • Baritone Saxophone
  • Trumpet 1, 2
  • Mellophone
    
  • Low Brass 1, 2
  • Tuba
    
• Percussion:
  • Vibraphone 1/Chimes (1 Player)
    
  • Vibraphone 2/Glockenspiel/Sampler (1 Player)
    
  • Marimba 1/Xylophone (1 Player)
  • Marimba 2
  • Synthesizer/Sampler (Shared w/ Vibe 2)
  • Snares
  • Tenors (5 Drums)
  • 4 Bass Drums (5 Bass Drum part available upon request)
    
  • Cymbals