Sojourn of Dreams is comprised of four sections, each taking its designation from an African musical source. The opening is entitled, KATSANZAIRA (“Gentle Rain Before the Storm”) and, similar to its African counterpart, features the Dorian mode. The principal melodic motif throughout the work is based on a folksong that was sung by the Zimbabwean villagers of Chombo during Jeff’s life celebration. The opening also utilizes instrumentation and orchestration that pays homage to the sound colors of African shona and mbira music and appears throughout the entire work. Jeff was a phenomenal percussionist and the opening section features a solo rudimentary drum call that, building in intensity, is subsequently joined by the remaining percussionists. The playful second section, entitled NYAMAROPA (“Togetherness Through Music”) features melodic and harmonic motives derived from Jeff’s name and the opening Chombo village song. Modal preference is given to Mixolydian – the mbira’s and Nyamaropa’s most common tuning, while Jeff’s full name provides the impetus for a greater complexity of chordal sonorities. A transition leads to the delicate and lyrical NEMAKONDE section. The African Nemakonde is associated with funeral ceremonies and is usually performed in the Phrygian mode. This section juxtaposes the “Jeff” motif with inversions of the Chombo village song. A three-voiced Phrygian fugue accelerates to a festive Mixolydian statement of the Chombo village song, but not before a Zimbabwean Mbende/Jerusarema dance rhythm is introduced in the percussion. A transition diminishes the energy and arrives at the final, peaceful section, entitled DAMBATSOKO (“Ancestral Burial Grounds”). Akin to its African Dambatsoko counterpart, this section features the Ionian mode. The Mbende/Jerusarema dance rhythm is reprised throughout the closing section and encompasses the entire ensemble. A new theme – a variant of the “Jeff” motif, is presented at the outset of this section and featured alongside the plenary Chombo village song. The buoyant, middle portion incorporates sophisticated harmonies – derived from Jeff’s full name, and serves as a rich accompaniment to the Chombo village song. The final statement of the work features a lone drum that, fading over time, performs the Mbende/Jerusarema dance rhythm.
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Sojourn of Dreams
Symphonic Band
byKevin M. Walczyk
Grade 4-5 | Duration: 11'00"
Sojourn of Dreams was composed in memory of Jeff Cumpston who tragically died in Zimbabwe in 2009. Jeff was an Oregon Band Director, a percussionist and an exceptional jazz drummer. The four sections of the 11-minute, grade 4-5 work fuses African modes, songs, and rhythm patterns to create a work that musically underscores Jeff's commitment and "dreams" to serve villagers in Chombo, Zimbabwe. The work's melodic and harmonic constructs are derived from pitch structures based on Jeff's name and folk elements indigenous to Zimbabwe. The work was premiered on February 14, 2015 at the NAfME Northwest Conference in Spokane, WA. Pat Vandehey (Director of Bands at George Fox University) conducted the West Salem High School Wind Ensemble (Todd Zimbelman, director) in the premiere of Sojourn of Dreams.
Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble, Ray E. Cramer, conductor
Keveli Music has long been dedicated to forming consortium commissioning projects in order to give performing organizations the opportunity to participate in the commissioning process without paying large commissioning fees. This is accomplished by asking multiple members of a consortium to share the commissioning fee. Keveli Music acknowledges the following band programs, and their directors for participating in the consortium commissioning process that brought Sojourn of Dreams to life:
GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY Symphonic Band
Lead Consortium Member
Pat Vendehey, Director
BLINN COLLEGE Symphonic Band
Harry Blake, Director
GIG HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL Wind Symphony
Eric Swanson, Director
LAKE OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Dave Matthys & Paul Jolstead, Directors
LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Kevin Soon, Director
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY Wind Ensemble
Dr. Christopher Chapman, Director
PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY Wind Ensemble
Dr. Edwin C. Powell, Director
SHERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Brant Stai, Director
SOUTHRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Jeremy Zander, Director
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY Wind Ensemble
Fred Allen, Director
WARNER PACIFIC COLLEGE Wind Ensemble
James Cameron, Director
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY Wind Ensemble
Dr. Danh Pham, Director
WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Stuart Welsh, Director
WEST SALEM HIGH SCHOOL Wind Ensemble
Todd Zimbelman, Director
SYMPHONIC BAND INSTRUMENTATION
Sojourn of Dreams is a grade 4-5 work. It is challenging to and suitable for most advanced high school symphonic bands, wind ensembles and small college bands. The work is moderately challenging to and suitable for most college-level bands & wind ensembles.
piccolo
flutes 1-2
oboes 1-2
sopranino clarinet
clarinets 1-3
bass clarinet
contra-alto clarinet – doubles contrabass clarinet
alto saxophones 1-2
tenor saxophone
baritone saxophone
bassoons 1-2
horns 1-4
trumpets 1-4 – 1st & 2nd double flugel horn
trombones 1-3 – 3rd is bass
euphonium – B.C. & T.C.
tuba
percussion 1 – vibraphone, bongos, congas, and suspended cymbal
percussion 2 – marimba (5-octave, shared with percussion 6), and 2 tom-toms (10″ & 12″)
percussion 3 – xylophone, chimes, suspended cymbal, and 2 woodblocks (large & medium)
percussion 4 – suspended wood wind chimes, snare drum, 2 maracas, 2 shakers, and tambourine
percussion 5 – glockenspiel and large tenor drum (12″-14″ double headed)
percussion 6 – large rainstick, bass drum, and marimba (shared with percussion 2)
string bass
Sojourn has been a profound journey for myself and my students.
Having known and worked with Jeff, this piece is speaking to me in a rather unique way. It's been great to share this piece, and my experience with Jeff, with my students.
We absolutely love playing your music!
The complex and UNIQUE colors, orchestration, motivic development, artistry, and overall compositional technique are truly special.
