Tempered Steel

As we grow stronger and more resilient through hardship, we become “tempered.” Tempered Steel is a celebration of our triumph over these unavoidable hardships and obstacles that we regularly face. As the title implies, the metallic sonorities of the wind band are continually explored and developed throughout the work, while the “tempest” is a symmetric hexachord that is exposed and developed through a variety of juxtaposed gestures and themes. Tempered Steel was “forged” in 1997 as the first work to be commissioned by the Big 12 Band Directors Association. This 2nd edition resulted from Dr. Young’s request to make a few very minor changes in the work, based on his experience hearing dozens of performances, and hearing from conductors who have wrestled with the difficulties inherent in the score.