Most high school bands can’t say they’ve had a professional write a four-part suite for them. Rutland High’s band is an exception, all thanks to their own effort, the willingness of one Dr. Gene Milford, and Director Brent Barnett.

The band debuted the piece, entitled “Four Vermont Prints”, last month. Composer Gene Milford was in attendance. Milford, the Senior Lecturer in Music Education at the University of Akron, has served on the faculty at Kent State and holds a Bachelors of Science in Instrumental Musical Education as well as a Masters of Arts in Music History and a PhD in Music Education from Kent. He began writing the piece after Mr. Barnett approached him with an idea.

“He was one of my professors at Akron,” Barnett says. “I just asked the question ‘Will you write a piece for us?’ and he responded, with no hesitation, ‘Yes’.” Barnett says the piece is meant to “reflect Vermont”, its different landscapes and landmarks, its distinct seasons and standout moments in our state’s history. Milford drew inspiration from prints he saw depicting the state. He says each part of the piece conveys a stand-alone idea and is played in a different style that reflects that idea.

The prelude, “Covered Bridge”, is followed by the “lighthearted” scherzo, “Meeting House”, which Barnett describes as almost humorous. This is succeeded by the slow and delicate “Evening Snow”, which conjures up imagery of flakes falling cleanly and calmly as only they do in Vermont. Barnett’s favorite, the two-part “Green Mountain Boys”, is a compilation of Revolutionary marches like “The Rifles of Bennington” and “Chester Folk Song”. Barnett imagines them “being played over two, distinct snare drums as soldiers march into battle.”

So what was the best part of this experience for the band? “Being that it was written just for us, we didn’t have to adapt to the music like we would with any other piece,” Barnett says. “The music was really written to fit our band, our parts, our strengths. “For example,” he says, “Our first chair clarinet player, Shannon [Switzer], wanted a solo, so he wrote one. Evening Snow? That was all Shannon, start and finish. The flute section got solos too. These changes, they worked to fit the mood of the piece.”

Shannon Switzer says she enjoyed being a part of the creative process, working directly with the composer. “It was great having Dr. Milford come and help direct. It allowed us to convey just the right sound he envisioned for his music.”

Milford would send the group his latest drafts by email; they would play it and then respond with their critiques and comments. “There were times when we would get a new draft and see he’d added four more measures in the middle of a piece. The changes went on until the week before we debuted it.” The editing process was very collaborative but “it really made us think about what we were playing. It kept us on our toes.”

In the Music Department’s display case off the main lobby, the first page of the finalized copy presented to Mr. Barnett and the band can be seen, Dr. Milford’s signature visible. Publishers are currently considering the piece for release, and the Rutland High band will produce a recording of “Four Vermont Prints” in the coming days. Although the ultimate future of Dr. Milford’s piece is still uncertain, there’s no question that it will remain at Rutland High for a long time.