Light up the Sky! is inspired by memories of night time brilliant artillery discharges when the composer was a young conscript in the Finnish army. The piece was originally commissioned by Capt. Riku Huhtasalo, commander of the Finnish Satakunta Province Military Band. Light Up the Sky! just won the first prize at the VIII Concorso Pernice Band Composition Contest in Canicattini Bagni, Italy (2006).
Light up the Sky! incorporates frequent time signature changes and "tight but loose" rhythmic flow: lots of rubato that move together! It includes bombastic duplets and melancholic Finnish folk music interludes.
lightupthesky.mp3
