Blue Bird

for concert band (2:30)
​Grade 1.5

*available for purchase Summer 2026

Blue Bird, or Saeya Saeya, is a traditional Korean folk melody and lullaby. The melody is simple and solemn, outlining only three pitches, featuring lyrics about a farmer dreaming of a better life. This folksong took on a second meaning as a song of resistance after a failed peasant revolt against the Japanese occupation of Korea at the turn of the 19th century. The song is remembered as one symbolizing hope, the struggles of everyday life, and the promise of a better future. This piece was commissioned in a consortium led by Mark Bligh of Denton Ave Elementary, joined by Stephen Smith - Beach Street Middle School, Graham Lambert - Burlington Middle School, Danna Clear - Fallsburg JSHS.