Queen Bess

I just sent out the score and parts for Queen Bess, my third work for concert band, and will hopefully get some good feedback and recordings to share with you. I would like to thank the band directors who responded to my request for a reading through the Band Directors Group Composer Clinician Connection forum on Facebook. It is such a helpful online community and a great resource for all involved. 

 

Regarding the work itself, Queen Bess is a grade 4 march that honors the life of Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman. The excerpt below is taken from the program notes. Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (1892-1926) is an aviation pioneer who overcame rampant sexism and racism to become the first African-American female pilot. She grew up in a poor family in rural Oklahoma and later moved to Chicago to work in a beauty salon. In the midst of World War I she began reading stories of pilots fighting in Europe, which inspired her to become an aviator. Due to Jim Crow laws and misogyny she was unable to enroll in any aviation school in the United States. Undeterred, she went to France to study and eventually obtained her pilot's license. She returned home and showcased her skills doing daredevil stunts. Her fame quickly grew and her adoring public gave her the nickname "Queen Bess." She used her celebrity status to further civil rights for African-Americans and women, often refusing to fly at segregated shows and refusing public appearances that denigrated her race or gender. Even after her untimely death at the age of 34, Elizabeth Coleman continues to inspire.