My school's band director was selecting music for us to play at our upcoming concert. Being a lowly 3rd clarinet, I meekly raised my hand and asked him if he would consider playing something that I had composed. In the past, students had had their compositions played, but those students were the really important ones. (The director's favorites... he displays an unfair amount of favoritism) He told me that if my piece was awesome enough to make heads explode, he would have the wind ensemble perform it.
Naturally, I did my best impression of the "challenge accepted" meme, and set to work.
He later told me in a more serious manner that I should make the piece as perfect as I can, and then show it to him for criticism, and then I would have one chance to take his criticism into account and work on it some more before his final decision. So because of that, I'm posting it here before showing it to him, in the hopes that I can make it really good before his all powerful commentary.
This is that piece. It's as good as I can make it, I really need suggestions on how to make it better. I've done everything I can think of. The main trouble spots to me are the percussion and the woodwinds. Being a clarinet, you think I'd be able to write better woodwind parts.
http://soundcloud.com/michael_king/empire-realms-of-the-burning
Any comments/criticism at all would be so appreciated that I might just explode in a cascade of rainbows and swirly confetti, which would be magical and grant you and your descendants good luck for 117 years. And you'll get a portal to Equestria. Maybe not, but at any rate, it would be appreciated. Lots.