Coleman has composed a new five-minute work for string orchestra. This piece of music is a sequel to his first published work, "Adieu," which was written when he was 18 years old.
As he was finishing up high school, Todd Coleman, now Elon associate professor of music, was encouraged by his orchestra teacher to write a piece of music to enter in the M.E.N.C. (Music Educators National Conference, now rebranded as NAfME – National Association for Music Education) student composition competition. The resulting piece for string orchestra, titled “Adieu,” subsequently won the national award for best composition in the high school category and was premiered at the national conference in Washington, D.C. the following spring. The piece was later published by Alfred Publishing, a company specializing in music for the educational market. Thousands of copies have been sold and the piece has been widely performed throughout the world by high school ensembles and honor orchestras such as All-State, Regional, and Festival performances.
Coleman wanted to compose a follow-up work that would function as a sequel, both musically/thematically and pedagogically. The new work, which he has titled “Farewell’s Shadow” in a nod to its connections to “Adieu,” is also written for string orchestra, this time including an optional harp part. This new piece features even more extensive use of active lyrical melodic lines for all sections of the orchestra and introduces the use of natural harmonics, a technique that is less common in pieces written for younger players. In this way, the work builds on the themes and technical abilities developed in “Adieu,” while requiring the students to push the limits of their experience, expand their technique, and focus on producing the more mature tone required for this new music.
A recording of “Farewell’s Shadow” was released on Aug. 26, 2025 and is available on all major music streaming platforms. The score has also been submitted for publication.