Silver King (Moto Perpetuo for Band) was commissioned by Tommy Bunnens and the Charlotte (FL) High School Band in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the school. As part of the commission process, Mr. Bunnens graciously provided me with a great deal of information about the history of CHS, information which generated several compositional ideas for the piece.

This began with Paul DeGaeta’s Charlotte High School, a History, which presents a wonderful and in-depth look at Punta Gorda, Charlotte County, and the birth and growth of Charlotte High School. One of the themes that emerged as I read his fascinating document was a spirit of resilience combined with a love for school and community. This resilience was seen prominently during each of the 20^th Century wars and then more recently in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley and the COVID-19 crisis. It became clear that the school’s nickname, the Fighting Tarpons, is not only a perfect tribute to the birthplace of tarpon sport fishing, but also a superb representation for the tenacious spirit reflected throughout the school’s history. The Atlantic tarpon is also known as a Silver King, a nickname used by the school’s band program, and this seemed the obvious title for a celebratory piece honoring such a momentous anniversary.

Inspired by the resilient energy of the school, I decided to compose a moto perpetuo (a type of piece that involves constant motion from beginning to end). The music is both celebratory and hopeful in nature and further inspired by specific relationships with Charlotte High School. For instance, the first theme is heavily influenced by the melody of the school’s alma mater and, more importantly, the second theme is derived from the words Silver King, as can be seen in the bold letters below:

Si L v E r K i n G (Si=musical note B, L=La=musical note A, E=musical note E, G=musical note G)

The resultant collection of notes, BAEG, is used as a sort of musical motto for Silver King, serving as both melody and harmony throughout the piece. My hope is that the positive energy of the final work serves as a fitting tribute to Charlotte County’s First and Finest High School.