Hollywood Musician Writes Song for Ferndale High School Wind Ensemble

Hollywood musician Ira Hearshen, who grew up in the Detroit area and graduated from Wayne State University, has written a composition specifically for the Ferndale High School Wind Ensemble.

The piece titled, “8 Mile Rhythm” uses three Motown songs as inspiration: “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” written by Norman Whitfield and originally performed by The Temptations, “Living For the City” written by Stevie Wonder and “What’s Going On?” written by Marvin Gaye. Hearshen’s piece uses gestures, fragments, grooves, and harmonic structures in common with the Motown tunes, but is its own piece.

The premiere of “8 Mile Rhythm” will be May 18 at 7 p.m. in the FHS Auditorium.

Elon Jamison, Director of the Wind Ensemble, explains the importance of the Hearshen commission: “Having a piece commissioned is one of those things that music programs and directors aspire to because it’s another indication of a program’s success. It also hoped that it will have specific meaning to the school or community. In this case it’s the fact that the piece is dedicated to our larger Detroit (Motown) community, written by a Detroit native for a school back home neighboring Detroit."

Source: Ferndale Public Schools