HOMECOMING
for concert wind band.
Composed by Alex Shapiro.
2008; Duration 7:30.
One movement work.
40 pages, 9" x 12".
Published by Activist Music (ASCAP).
Commissioned by and dedicated to Major Tod A. Addison
and the soldiers of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band.
Grade 4+ and beyond.
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Click the arrow below
to listen to a ive performance of
HOMECOMING
by the West Point Concert Band,
conducted by Jonathan Crane.
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HOMECOMING is available
as a physical, bound set of score and parts,
or as a digital set of .pdf score and parts.
Full set: $200.
Score only: $35.
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Click here to download the perusal score:
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Click here to order the digital set
from Activist Music:
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Click the icon to order the
print set from Hal Leonard:
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Enjoy this February 2017 performance of HOMECOMING,
performed by the University of Hawaii Wind Ensemble,
conducted by Jeffrey Boeckman:
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Enjoy this January 2019 performance of HOMECOMING,
performed by the West Point Concert Band,
conducted by Jonathan Crane:
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Homecoming is a distinctly American piece of music which ventures emotionally from doubt, to hope, and finally to celebration. Written for the soldiers of the U.S. Army TRADOC Band, the piece reflects upon wishes for the safe return of those who serve their country. Beginning with shades of concern and resolving with great joy, Homecoming seamlessly flows between traditional styles that originated in the U.S., from post-minimalist concert music to jazz. As the music grows into a waltz rhythm, welcoming smiles dance with it to the end as loved ones are reunited.
The individuals behind each instrument devote their lives to creating inspired music, and the people of the U.S. Armed Forces devote their lives to the betterment of the lives of others. In this piece, the most simple wind instrument of all, the human voice, echoes meaningful homecomings, wherever home may be and from whatever circumstance one returns.
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PROGRAM BIO for Alex Shapiro 
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Read Alex's feature article about her experience composing Homecoming, in the July 2008 issue of Sounding Board |
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Justin Zanchuk's extensive dissertation, THE INFLUENCE OF MINIMALIST COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUES ON MUSICAL LITERATURE FOR WIND ENSEMBLE, has been published in the Fall 2024 issue of the Journal of Band Research. Three full pages are devoted to Alex's first work for wind band, HOMECOMING, and two of her other minimalism-infused band works, MOMENT, and ROCK MUSIC, are also referenced.
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How did this mostly-chamber music composer get into writing for symphonic band? Listen to her describe how it happened, in this two-minute excerpt from an interview she gave to Carey Nadeau from the American Composers Forum:
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| Alex Shapiro addresses the audience at the premiere
of Homecoming
in Newport News, Virginia. |
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| Alex is presented a commemorative photo and dedication from
the TRADOC Band
and Lt. Toulouse and Major Addison. |
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"You have captured brilliantly the feelings one has upon separation. The "homecoming" section matches every photo of a family's embrace upon
deployment return I have ever seen. I am also so happy that our
generation, which began to openly say we loved pop idioms without shame,
can now hear its techniques as high art and appreciated thereof!"
—Major Tod A. Addison, Commander and conductor,
U.S. Army TRADOC Band, Fort Monroe, Virginia
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Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, etc. are wonderful tools for affordably bringing Alex into your rehearsal, without having to book a plane flight! She has a great time coaching students, and the difference between their musicianship at the beginning of the session and by the time it ends, is remarkable.
Alex can tell the ensemble about how the piece was created and engage them in conversation, and even show them how her digital project studio works! It's also easy to arrange to have her say hello to the audience during a concert, via a custom video. Webhearsals connect musicians to the real person-- and the stories-- behind the notes on the music stands. Get in touch with Alex-- her contact info is at the bottom of this page.
To see some examples of webhearsals, and the view Alex loves to share from her desk, click here.
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Alex was an early adopter of online "webhearsals"! Here's one from December 2012 with Alex in her studio
on Washington's San Juan Island, and band director
Mary Bauer and the Mt. Mansfield Union High School Band far across the continent in Vermont.
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The
VERY best way to reach Alex is
through email, by clicking here
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LICENSES:
Every work in Ms. Shapiro's catalog is published by Activist Music LLC unless otherwise indicated. Synchronization and mechanical rights are included free of charge for music educators and non-profit ensembles wishing to stream and upload their performance to YouTube, etc. or create a virtual recording and video of this piece, subject to written approval from Ms. Shapiro prior to publicly posting the media.
ALL licensing inquiries, including marching band or other arrangements, audio recording, broadcast, synchronization to video or dance, etc., are handled DIRECTLY by Ms. Shapiro and Activist Music LLC. Please avoid the unnecessary expense of third party businesses, and send an email with the details of your request by clicking HERE.
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There's a lot more Shapiro band music to hear!
HOMECOMING was the very first piece for wind band that Alex ever wrote, and she's been hooked on the genre ever since! 26 more band pieces have followed this one... and counting.
Head on over to THIS PAGE for an overview of Alex's wind band pieces. You can listen to each one, read all about it via a link, and if desired, request a free pdf perusal score. Have fun!
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