Kimberly Archer (b. 1973) is an American composer of music primarily for wind bands. Her works have been commissioned, recorded, and played by some of the world’s top ensembles. Among her many acclaimed works are 3 full symphonies for wind band and nearly a dozen works for young band. Originally from Illinois, she studied music education at Florida State University before completing graduate studies in composition at Syracuse University and the University of Texas at Austin. Her teachers have included David Maslanka and David Gillingham, among others. She is currently a Professor of Composition at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. See more about her at her website, the Wind Repertory Project, and C. Alan Publications.
Archer wrote Fanfare Aureus in 2011 for the Florida State University Summer Music Camps. It was commissioned by and dedicated to them in honor of their 70th Anniversary. Her program note (from her website) is especially vivid:
One of my favorite expressions is “The sun rises and sets on Florida State.” However, I first set foot on the campus of my beloved alma mater not as a music major, but as a music camper – three summers now a quarter century ago.
My most vivid memory is from 1990. The Senior High Band conductor at the time, Dr. Jim Croft, invited me to his office, thrust his own French horn into my hands, and declared an unspoken truth: “Kimmer, you’re a good trumpet player but you’re never going to be great. You need to play the horn, so let’s have a lesson.” He added a sales pitch I’ll never forget: “The horn is god’s own instrument, you know. In fact, it’s the world’s very first instrument. The trumpet used to be a horn. I bet you didn’t even know the snare drum used to be a horn ….”
Needless to say – although I have since realized the euphonium is actually god’s own instrument – a young composer’s love of the horn was born in that moment! Thus, when asked to compose a work in honor of the 70th anniversary of the FSU Music Camps, my first thought was of that impromptu lesson, of how deeply I still trust and love my FSU mentors, and how shining and warm my memories of FSU remain. My time in Tallahassee, as both a camper and a student, is the foundation of virtually all of the good experiences, opportunities, and friendships in my life.
The Latin word aureus means “gold.” I could not resist overlapping allusions to “Garnet and Gold,” the golden sun that shines brightest on Tallahassee, and the flashing gold of a glorious FSU horn section.
Here is the world premiere performance:
Check it out also on Soundcloud, Penders Music, and J. W. Pepper.