James L. Hosay

Mayan Sports Festival

The superbly colorful orchestration and dynamic percussion writing in this bold, inventive work set up a thrilling look into an ancient Mayan ritual. The amazingly advanced Mayan civilization is still, in many ways, a mystery tomodern scholars - but one of the most interesting aspects of the culture was a complex religious ritual referred to as the Ball Game. Not just an exciting and dangerous sporting competition, the outcome of the game effected thelives of everyone playing and watching. Let Hosay's brilliant work take your audience to a place they've likely never imagined - and have your students do some internet sleuthing on this fascinating piece of history.