Michele Fernández graduated from Miami Senior High School in Florida in 1985 confident in the knowledge that she would one day become a lawyer. She attended the University of Florida on an oboe scholarship, studying Music Education with law classes on the side. During her senior year there, a phone call from her former high school principal changed her life: she was unexpectedly offered the position as Miami’s new band director, and she ended up staying there (and teaching a handful of other subjects) for an entire 30-year teaching career. In that time, she became known for the quality of her ensembles, with special performances by her groups at many distinguished events around the world. She also became involved in a litany of professional organizations. On the side, she remained active as an oboist and picked up some percussion and piano techniques over many years playing with an Afro-Latin band. She also composed and arranged music as needed for her student ensembles. Not until her retirement did her compositional catalog begin to emerge: for wind band alone, she has published 2 or 3 pieces every year since 2022, in addition to her dozens of jazz band charts. She continues to write prolifically and serves as a clinician for her works and others’ on a regular basis. To see more about her, visit her website, Hal Leonard, the Wind Repertory Project, and Kendor Music. For a deeper dive, check out interviews with the North Shore Concert Band and The Instrumentalist, in which she discusses the loss of her young son, her subsequent abandonment of and return to music, and her myriad sources of inspiration.

Fernández wrote A Mere Moment in 2025 for a consortium led by the Iowa Bandmasters Association. It has its roots in tragedy, as she spells out in her program notes (to which I have added links):

Ahmir Jolliff was only 11 years old when he perished in the Perry, lowa school shooting on January 4th, 2024. He played Tuba in the school band and was such a friendly young man that his nickname was “Smiley.” The principal, Dan Marburger, ran through hallways to shield more children even after being wounded. Although he saved more kids, that selfless decision cost him his life when he was wounded yet again.

I almost declined this commission for a few reasons (one of which was having lost our own young child), but as someone who has experienced this depth of loss, I felt blessed to be asked to write this for their families. When the title, A Mere Moment suddenly came to mind, I knew it was fitting on many levels.

The request was for a lyrical work- “poignant but not too sad,” inspiring, hopeful, and infused with cultural diversity and rhythmic interest. And so, a gentle, multi-ethnic groove with a childlike innocence (flutes) and sweeping lines woven into a Bolero tapestry with Middle Eastern hints seemed appropriate.

I feel very grateful to the lowa Bandmasters Association, project board members and consortium contributors for the trust. Although nothing could ever ease any loss of this magnitude, I hope both Ahmir’s and Dan’s families will feel this writer’s understanding and reverence in every measure.

She adds in the performance notes that the solos have special significance: the flute represents a child angel, while the tuba and euphonium represent Jolliff and Marburger, respectively. It is a poignant tribute. Listen (and follow the score) here:

See more about A Mere Moment at J. W. Pepper and the Wind Repertory Project. Fernández draws on a huge wealth of knowledge of musical styles from across the world in all of her music. Here is just one example of the bolero style that she channels in this piece:

And here is a demonstration of just one style of Middle Eastern percussion, a darbuka solo:

This piece came from a tragic event. There do not need to be more tragic events like it. If you share my longing to stop school shootings from ever happening again, I encourage you to visit Every Town for Gun Safety. Violence is never the answer.