ASIMO

ASIMO
for wind ensemble

Full Orchestra
String Orchestra
Wind Ensemble
Vocal
Chamber
Solo Instrumental

ASIMO was commissioned by the Sycamore Community Schools, Abby Hinson and James Blankenship, directors.

ASIMO is the name of a robot that was created by Honda in the year 2000. It was designed to mimic human movements, able to walk, run, dance, play sports, and manipulate objects with its hands. ASIMO even conducted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on one occasion. This robot was a breakthrough in robotics, but in retrospect, its movements may feel a bit stilted and mechanical. This piece imagines that the entire ensemble is a robot with many moving parts that gradually figure out how to work together. In the beginning, fragments of disjointed musical lines jump around from instrument to instrument, like gears and pistons lining up and firing. A longer melodic line is introduced in the brass while the woodwinds continue a quirky mechanical accompaniment. As the piece continues, it gradually gains energy, like a battery charging, increasing in tempo once and then again to a frightening speed.

This piece is "grade flexible," and exists with grade 2 and grade 4 parts for most instruments that can be mixed and matched. This piece was commissioned for a band festival to be performed by a combined middle and high school ensemble. Parts with letters are grade 2 and parts with numbers are grade 4.

To purchase, ASIMO is available from Murphy Music Press or digitally at the bottom of this page.

Duration: ca 4'

Instrumentation

2 Flutes, 1 Oboe, 1 Bassoon
2 Clarinets, 1 Bass Clarinet
2 Alto Saxophones, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
2 Trumpets in Bb, 2 Horns in F, 2 Trombones, 1 Euphonium, 1 Tuba
Timpani, 7 Percussion
Contrabass

Watch the premiere (grades 2 and 4 combined) by the Sycamore Community Schools 8th grade band and Sycamore Winds, conducted by Jim Blankenship:

Grade 2 midi mockup:

Below is the grade 2 version perusal score. You may download it in case the embedded score below is difficult to see or does not display.

Grade 4 midi mockup:

Below is the grade 4 version perusal score. You may download it in case the embedded score below is difficult to see or does not display.

ASIMO is available for purchase from Murphy Music Press. To purchase digital pdfs of the scores and parts, please use the PayPal buttons below. For MMP and digital purchases, every score or set will include the combined score as well as the grade 2 and grade 4 scores separately as well as all of grade 2 and grade 4 parts. If you need a quote for a purchase order, please contact me.