Erika Svanoe

To this day, the great novelist Jane Austen is still beloved by many. Her work defies easy categorization of genre, using a blend of romance, comedy, and social satire. Her novels depict her heroines'...

The Author’s Suite is a collection of three pieces that each celebrate a favorite author of mine: L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice), and Mary Shelley (Frankenste...

The Candy Factory is inspired by the 1971 movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" starring Gene Wilder. Specifically, one scene in the movie features a colorful machine that creates the highly s...

Determined Hearts was composed for the Middlesex Concert Band in celebration 50th Anniversary. The piece was inspired by a past event in the ensemble’s history. Specifically, there was a fire where th...

First Suite Fanfare pays homage to Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb. The fanfare utilizes and transforms material from the opening movement, specifically the Chaconne’s familiar melody that is heard t...

The majestic and noble toucan dons its tutu and prepares for its grand entrance. What will the toucan ballet entail? Nimble hops on delicate legs? Short but graceful flights across the stage? Rousing...

Lucy Maud Montgomery's childhood had much in common with her iconic heroine Anne Shirley. Her mother died when Maud was just 21 months old, and she was sent to live with her grandparents on Prince Edw...

Imagine a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as "Frankenstein." They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a...

Imagine a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as "Frankenstein." They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a...

Imagine a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as "Frankenstein." They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a...

Commissioned by the Fergus Falls MN Area School District, Echoes celebrates "The Kirkbride," a sprawling Victorian campus which formerly housed the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center. The piece tr...

This piece for band is a short fanfare that celebrates the determination, bravery, and boldness of women who have pushed beyond society's expectations of gender. The main melodic material features lar...

The Town Band celebrates the spirit of the many community bands that exist across the United States. I have played in various community bands throughout my life, always appreciating that wherever I go...

Where No One Has Gone Before is an original work that is a love letter to Star Trek and its optimism about humanity and the future. The piece is based on a 6-note motive that is derived from the origi...

Winds Across the Water was commissioned by the Michigan City Municipal Band, Michigan City, Indiana, for its 157th season. The ensemble suggested that a water theme might be appropriate based on their...

Ascendant was composed for the 50th anniversary of the McHenry County Honor Band. The term "ascendant" means increasingly successful or powerful. In astrology, the term is also known as the "rising si...

First Suite Fanfare pays homage to Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb. The fanfare utilizes and transforms material from the opening movement, specifically the Chaconne’s familiar melody that is heard t...

First Suite Fanfare pays homage to Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb. The fanfare utilizes and transforms material from the opening movement, specifically the Chaconne’s familiar melody that is heard t...

This piece for band is a short fanfare that celebrates the determination, bravery, and boldness of women who have pushed beyond society's expectations of gender. The main melodic material features lar...

This piece for band is a short fanfare that celebrates the determination, bravery, and boldness of women who have pushed beyond society's expectations of gender. The main melodic material features lar...

Winter's Revel imagines a snowy winter celebration in a small town, with a festival taking place in the town square. Picture chilly sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and friendly snow ball fights between r...