Product Description
2018 Instrumental Arranging Contest Entry
Genre: National Anthem, Patriotic
Length: 1:20
Instrumentation: Alto Saxophone and Euphonium
The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by the then 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Key was inspired by the large U.S. flag, with 15 stars and 15 stripes, known as the Star-Spangled Banner, flying triumphantly above the fort during the U.S. victory.
The poem was set to the tune of a popular British song written by John Stafford Smith and renamed "The Star-Spangled Banner". With a range of 19 semitones, it is known for being very difficult to sing. Although the poem has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today.
This fun and accessible arrangement is perfect for sporting events, school and corporate functions, parades, private events and any other occasion that calls for use of the Star-Spangled Banner!
The Arranger:
Email: alburden9012@eagle.fgcu.edu
Alexander Burden is a Florida born, professional musician and music educator residing in Southwest Florida. There, he is the music teacher at Westside Elementary in Clewiston. Concurrent with his duties at Westside, he also teaches private and group instrumental music lessons and preforms regularly with various professional ensembles throughout Southwest Florida. Burden holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree with an instrumental concentration from the Bower School of Music at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. There he studied under world renowned saxophonist Mario Bernardo. He also holds an Associate of Arts degree with a Music Education and Saxophone Performance concentration from Eastern Florida State College where he was a student of James Bishop. During his time at the Bower School of music, he served as principle saxophonist in the FGCU Wind Orchestra, lead alto in the Jazz Band Flight: Jazz at FGCU, and played soprano saxophone in the Bower Saxophone Quartet. Alexander was selected to play tenor saxophone in the 2017 National Intercollegiate Band as well as principle alto saxophone in the 2017 Florida All-State Intercollegiate Band and tenor saxophone in the 2016 Florida All-State Intercollegiate Band. In November of 2015, Alexander participated in a critically acclaimed performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City with the FGCU Wind Orchestra.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.