Taking Flight

The EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) takes place every summer in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. With an attendance of over half a million people and roughly 10,000 planes present (old, new, large, small, traditional, and experimental), it is said that the Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airport on earth over the week-long celebration of anything and everything aviation related. If you ever get the chance to go to the EAA, or any air show, it is quite a memorable experience.

While I know nothing about piloting a plane, I assume it must certainly be exhilarating! Especially the very first time a new pilot accelerates down the runway and those tires lift off the ground below. Most people will likely never have an opportunity to pilot a real plane, but the rest of us non-pilots can at least use our imaginations.

"Taking Flight" was inspired by a day trip to the EAA, and imagining what it might be like to fly a plane. The orchestral composition sustains a sense of awe and excitement from beginning to end. The piece begins with a grand introduction. After the intro comes a more subdued middle section (measures 13-36) which glides along, perhaps with a few gentle aerial maneuvers. Then, full-on rock drums and heavy guitar are added in measures 37-40, climbing and building toward a rather powerful, if not epic, peak in measures 41-48. After this, the final seven measures calmly land the piece. We're back on the ground, safe and sound – a successful flight!

Another inspiration for writing this piece was wanting to use F# in the recorder. Using this pitch opens up opportunities for more harmonic diversity in the accompaniment. The fingering for F# might be new to some of your students, but it's not difficult. It's the same fingering as low D, but without the right-hand index finger. The recorder 1 part uses a very limited set of notes: F#, G, and A, allowing your students to focus on the F# as they are likely already familiar with how to play G and A. The optional recorder 2 part uses an even more limited set of notes: low D and low E. Both of these lower notes require good breath control. Because the recorder 2 part stays in the low register, it is easier to play than if they were required to alternate between the high and low registers. Also, if you have any alto recorder players, you can find an additional optional alto recorder part online. The alto part uses the same pitches as recorder 2, but it's transposed for alto recorder.

PDFs of the score and all recorder parts are available on our web site, free to subscribers.