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Hi. I've been a busy bee for the past 8 years since I last posted here on YC. I have a publisher now - Woo Hoo! - and I've had several works recorded, published, and marketed through them. This is a work that I plan to submit for publication in next year's release. My writing is geared specifically to middle and high school concert band programs in the United States. But enough about that. "Appalachian Heart" is a work I wrote for my mother. She's an equestrian - someone who rides, raises, and cares for horses - who dedicated her whole life to raising hers and ensuring they found good homes. When I was a kid, I would wake up to the sound of horses galloping up from the valley to the barn next to my room. The work is basically a pastoral or chorale of this. Imagine a sunrise, hearing her call to the horses, hearing the stir of hooves hitting the ground as they galloped up to greet her, the calm serenity of them grazing in the field during the day, and their return to the barn in the evening as the sun sets. This is the essence of the work. I scored marching band bass drums to be performed in unison to illicit the effect of horses galloping from a distance, growing in volume and intensity as they get closer. Bear in mind that this is written for attainability and not necessarily meant to be terribly difficult or nuanced. Still, I think it achieves a nice effect, and I hope you enjoy the group that performs it - this is the California State University, Fresno, Wind Orchestra directed by Gary P. Gilroy from their concert last May. Cheers, -A