William Himes

Enter The Phoenix

An inventive composition that is based on the Greek mythology of the 'phoenix.' a beautiful bird said to live 500 years by burning itself, rising from its ashes as a young bird, then living the cycle over again. This sweet, bold and reflective piece portrays a phoenix and its cycle of life with the use of ascending and descending melodic lines. The well-written percussion part, with emphasis on the Gong, appropriately symbolizes the captivating transformation. The six-measure coda states one final ascending line symbolizing the newly risen phoenix. Audiences and students will be moved!