MODERN LEGACY for Large Chamber Winds by GALA FLAGELLO (USA, 1994)
- WASBE Marcom
- Nov 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
[#330] Nov 17, 2025 USA | 2025 | Large Chamber Winds | Grade 5 | 12’30 | Suite
Premiered by University of Florida Bands conducted by David Waybright
on 13 Apr 2025 in Gainesville, USA
Published by & Purchase at Just a Theory Press
Modern Legacy, by American composer and educator Gala Flagello is our Composition of the Week.
Modern Legacy was commissioned and first performed by Dr. David Waybright and the University of Florida Bands on April 13, 2025.
The work is structured in three movements: I. Partita; II. Serenade ; III. Concertino; and it is scored for the following instrumentation:
Piccolo, flute, oboe 1-2, clarinet in Bb, bass clarinet in Bb, bassoon, contrabassoon, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, horn 1-2, trumpet 1-2, percussion (5-octave marimba, vibraphone, bass drum, xylophone), piano, double bass.
It has total duration of 12’30 and it is available at Just a Theory Press
“Modern Legacy is a rollicking exploration of the lineage of conventions and their enduring ability to inspire generations of contemporary concoctions. Each of the work's three movements references iconic pillars of the chamber winds repertoire while showcasing different sections of the ensemble. In the first movement, "Partita," a fragment of Mozart's Gran Partita attempts to conscript all instrument families to its cause, whimsically whirling through a kaleidoscope of classical and contemporary exchanges. The second movement, "Serenade," is a nod to Dvorak's Serenade for Winds, featuring slippery harmonic moments, a leap-laden cantabile main melody, and a trio section that may not be what it seems. In the third and final movement, "Concertino," the ensemble and piano soloist transmute vestiges of Stravinsky's Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, shapeshifting through stark and resonant harmony, intricate imitative surges, and fearless rhythmic excursions. Modern Legacy celebrates this instrumentation's collective power as well as the intimacy and distinctiveness of its component parts”. Program Notes by Gala Flagello
Gala Flagello is a composer and educator whose work is inspired by a passion for lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and fostering meaningful collaboration. Her music, described as "at times endearingly whimsical, at times ominous, but always moving" (Cleveland Classical), resonates with audiences through its emotional depth and dynamic expression. With over 100 performances of her music each year, Flagello's collaborations with leading ensembles, artists, and institutions on national and international stages are impactful to audiences and performers alike.
Flagello’s 2025/26 season features premieres by the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Youth Symphony, ROCO, the United States Naval Academy Band, Thalea String Quartet, and Calypsus Brass. Composer residencies this season include Glacier Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Youth Symphony, United States Naval Academy Band, the 2025 SoundWaves Festival at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, Piedmont Wind Symphony, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Purdue University Fort Wayne. Upcoming collaborations include a new work for soprano and symphonic winds featuring renowned vocalist Lindsay Kesselman, and a saxophone quartet concerto for acclaimed ensemble ~Nois.
Flagello’s works have been featured by prominent ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, United States “President’s Own” Marine Band, La Jolla Symphony Orchestra, Sante Fe Symphony Orchestra, DuPage Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Youth Symphony, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, and the Apollo Ensemble of Boston. She has collaborated with many notable conductors, including Earl Lee, Fouad Fakhouri, Timothy Muffitt, Arian Khaefi, Bruce Kiesling, and Na'Zir McFadden.
Flagello earned her Bachelor of Music in Composition from The Hartt School, and her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Michigan. She has honed her craft as a Composition Fellow at prestigious institutions such as Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music.
Other works for winds include:
• Bravado (transcribed for wind band) (2023) 3’
• Vitality (transcribed for wind band) (2023) 6’
• The Bird-while, concerto for solo flute, clarinet, violin, cello and symphonic winds OR for wind quintet and symphonic winds (2024) 18’
• Self-Talk, woodwind quintet or chamber winds (2024) 11’
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