Welcome to the official site for Wes Stephens. Here you can remain current on all of
his new works, commissions, premieres, performances, and clinics.
Sunday, December 30, 2018 at 12:26PM So I have decided to make the jump to Patreon in order to make it easier for people to sponsor my music. I am looking forward to being more "social" in sharing my work instead of my usual process of locking myself in a room a month before a deadline. Check it out and tell me what you think!
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 09:43AM I have uploaded perusual scores to Queen Bess and Tomfoolery. Quality recordings (or at least quality mockups) will be coming soon. I am also hoping to wrap up a fanfare and a galop for concert band that I am working on before the end of the year.
Friday, April 27, 2018 at 09:06PM I just received word that my new march, Queen Bess, will be premiered on May 8th by the Horicon High School Band from Horicon, Wisconsin during their spring concert. The band is under the direction of Cody Ferron who graciously responded to my request on the Band Director's Group Composer Clinician Connection forum for a reading. The performance will begin at 6PM.
Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 11:09PM The world premiere of my second work for concert band, Tales from Dimension X, will take place on May 2nd at North Harrison High School in Eagleville, MO. The North Harrison Mass Concert Band will be debuting the work under the baton of their esteemed band director Elizabeth Betts. I will definitely be attending and so should you! The performance will start at 6 PM.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 12:52PM 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.