21st WASBE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS, RIO DE JANEIRO – BRAZIL - SLOPES AND FOUNTAINS Fanfare and Fantasy for Winds and Percussion by OLIN HANNUM (USA, 1985)
[#374] Sep 21, 2026
USA | 2026 | Wind Ensemble | Grade 4.5 | 5’ | Fanfare
Premiered by Oregon State University Wind Ensemble
conducted by Erik Kar Jun Leung on May 21, 2026 in Corvallis, United States
Slopes and Fountains, by American composer, hornist and educator Olin Hannum is our Composition of the Week.
Slopes and Fountains was premiered on May 21, 2026, by the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble in Corvallis, conducted by Erik Kar Jun Leung.
The ensemble later presented the work on July 24, 2026, at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, where it served as the opening work of their concert during WASBE’s 21st International Conference.
“Slopes and Fountains is a piece commissioned by the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble and their director, Dr. Erik Leung to open their concert at the 2026 WASBE conference in Rio De Janeiro. It celebrates the ensemble and their achievements as musicians and students of performance and craft. The students at this university have taught me so much about music and community, and writing for them on this occasion has been an honor. The piece follows a very rough ABCBA form but can really be considered a fantasy. Material repeats, but textures often only repeat very loosely, making Slopes and Fountains an exciting listening experience. The main theme of the piece is an inverted variation on the opening two phrases of Carry Me Back, the OSU alma mater. This theme is progressed, expanded upon, and chopped up throughout the piece. A theme which contrasts in character is presented later by the clarinets and oboes. The piece wraps as it began, in an expansive swirl of sound and energy.” Program notes by Olin Hannum
Slopes and Fountains is scored for standard wind ensemble, with optional English Horn, Double Bassoon, Piano and Harp. The music has a duration of about 5 minutes, and it is available at Murphy Press.
This recording has been donated by Mark Custom. To purchase the entire performance visit http://www.markcustom.com/
Olin Hannum serves as Associate Director of Bands at Oregon State University. In that capacity he oversees and directs all aspects of the Athletic Bands program, including the Oregon State University Marching Band, Rhythm and Beavs travel band, Basketball Bands, and other ensembles. In addition to the Athletic Bands program, Hannum conducts and directs the OSU Wind Symphony and teaches other courses in music. Outside of OSU, Hannum is the music director for the Oregon Brass Society, a semiprofessional brass ensemble based in Eugene, OR.
Hannum is an active composer, with works for Wind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, and various solo instruments. His works have been performed around the country, including a premier at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In addition to his composition work, Hannum is a sought-after arranger for marching ensemble. His arrangements have been performed by competitive and non-competitive groups at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels across the west coast. His compositions are published through Murphy Music Press.
Hannum is a brass player, holding a degree in French horn performance. He has notably appeared with the Golden State Wind Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Wind Ensemble. In addition to ensembles, he holds recording and live credits from a performing career in the Sacramento and Bay Area scenes.
Hannum is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and serves as the chapter sponsor for the Theta chapter. He is a member of CBDNA and NAFME.
More on Olin Hannum
