In a world where Neil Armstrong is usually remembered for the 1969 Apollo 11 mission and the first-ever moonwalk, I struggled to find a piece of music that celebrated his formative years as a young aviator. His development in the Air Force and a Navy test pilot would ultimately land him a spot in the Astronaut corps. Wild Blue is a fanfare that illuminates this lesser-explored area of his legacy, while also depicting an adrenaline-packed test flight. While the entirety of musical themes in this piece  are original, the  title is derived from the opening lyric of the official United States Air Force song, “Off we go into the wild blue yonder…”.

Wild Blue was commissioned by Upper Sandusky Middle School Bands in Sandusky, OH, which is one of the towns that Neil Armstrong grew up in as a young child. My deepest appreciation to their director, Ken Hoffman, for bringing this work to life and celebrating a treasured American hero!