A new edition by J. Steven Moore (Colorado State University) of Aegean Festival by Andreas Makris is now available for rental through ECS Publishing (www.ecspublishing.com). The new edition was prompted by the discovery that the original transcription for band deleted approximately twenty percent of the composition at the request of the publisher. Since the publication of the transcription, this deleted material has been largely unknown to band conductors. The new edition of the band transcription restores the missing measures and attempts to remain faithful to the composer’s intent.

Aegean Festival was written in 1967 and premiered by Howard Mitchell and the National Symphony Orchestra. The work epitomizes the emotion, drama, and Greek flavor of Makris’s compositional style. For the premier, the composer notes that the piece “is written in an ABA form and uses tonal, polytonal, and atonal techniques.” The work met with immediate success and soon after its premier Makris collaborated on a transcription with Major Albert Bader of the United States Air Force Band. Colonel Arnald Gabriel, the former conductor of the Air Force Band, toured with the composition, which received great acclaim.

While the current arrangement by Major Albert Bader has been very successful, hopefully this edition will renew interest in Mr. Makris’s work and stimulate new performances by younger conductors as well as those who are already familiar with the work in its current arrangement.

Steven recently conducted the newest edition of Aegean Festival with the University of South Carolina Symphonic Band at the 2010 American Bandmaster’s Association Convention. Here are links to videos of that performance:

(Aegean Festival, Part 1)
This is the first 5 minutes. It includes the A section up through the famous clarinet cadenza.

(Aegean Festival, Part 2)
This is the last 8 minutes. It includes the lyrical B section, recapitulation, and coda.

How to Order and Rent

To rent this newest band transcription of “Aegean Festival,” (click here) and download the Rental Catalog.

To purchase Steven’s dissertation, “Biography of Andreas Makris and Analysis of Aegean Festival with New Edition for Band”, (click here) and search for it through the Dissertation Express.