Downtown Dash
On your mark... get set... go! Take part in a brisk race through city streets without taking a single step with Downtown Dash. This well-paced work musically follows the course of a 5K race from the slow pace of the crowded starting line to the exuberant sprint to the finish. Get off your podium and get moving!
Medium: Concert Band
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Composed: 2009
Duration: 2:30
Difficulty: Grade 2
Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe (optional)
Bb Clarinet 1
Bb Clarinet 2
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bassoon (optional)
Eb Alto Saxophone 1
Eb Alto Saxophone 2
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet 1
Bb Trumpet 2
F Horn 1
F Horn 2
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Euphonium
T.C. Baritone
Tuba
Timpani
Keyboard Percussion (Bells, Xylophone)
Percussion 1 (Snare Drum, Bass Drum
Percussion 2 (Tambourine, Sus. Cym., Triangle, Crash Cyms.)
Program Notes
Downtown Dash is meant to depict a brisk 5K road race (3.1 miles) through the city streets surrounded by towering skyscrapers. The runners are all assembled behind the starting line, anxiously awaiting the horn or gun to go off. Because there are so many runners, even after the race starts, no one is able to move very quickly until the pack thins out. Each of the 3 miles in the race have their own musical character. During the first mile (m. 17) you are finally able to settle into your own comfortable stride. You start to pick up the pace a bit during mile 2 as the music moves into 3/4 time (m. 47). During mile 3 (m. 71), fatigue is starting to set in as you pick up the pace even more, depicted by the low brass taking over and moving the key into D minor. As you reach the last tenth of a mile (m. 93), the finish line is now in your sights, so you break into an all-out sprint to the finish.
