Alligator Alley

Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty's first published work for young band describes a stretch of Interstate 75 that crosses through Florida's Everglades National Park. Alligator Alley celebrates this noble beast that hasremained largely unchanged from prehistoric times. The first theme (Alligator's Theme) features the woodwinds (predominantly bassoons) while the second theme (Hunter's Theme) is performed by the brass. Program notes and stagingsuggestions are included in this marvelously descriptive work. A free downloadable interdisciplinary curriculum for teaching Alligator Alley is available at https://composersforum.org/bq-compositions/alligator-alley/. BandQuest®,an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need fornew, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. EveryBandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed toassist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadableaudio catalog.