American composer Dana Wilson (b. 1946) has won numerous awards and grants for his work. His music has been performed and recorded across the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has been commissioned to write new works by organizations and prominent soloists around the world. His output includes music for orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, and a wide-ranging repertoire for bands at all levels. Educated at the Eastman School of Music (DMA, 1982), he was the Charles A. Dana Professor of Music in the School of Music at Ithaca College before his recent retirement. To read more about his distinguished career, visit his website, Wikipedia, or his Ithaca faculty page. For an overview his music by one of the distinguished figures in our field, visit Tim Reynish’s website.
Wilson wrote Sang! in 1994 for the Murchison Middle School Band in Austin, Texas. It begins with a chanted phrase in the entire band (“Sang! Sang! ooh-gah-kah-tang!”) that becomes the foundation of the piece, building complex rhythmic and harmonic textures with more than a hint of silliness. The best official recording is here. This one from YouTube best captures the energy of the piece (though note that it adds a drum set part):
There is plenty more to see on this piece at Dana Wilson’s website, J. W. Pepper, and the Wind Repertory Project.