Aurora Australis - Ron Miller (2001) -- approx. 12 min.

This piece features Didjeridu, an Australian Aborigine instrument traditionally fashioned from a eucalyptus branch which has been hollowed out by termites. It is given a beeswax mouthpiece, decorated, and played in a manner similar to a low brass instrument (that is, by buzzing the lips.) Reasonable substitutes made in the US from PVC pipe can be had pretty reasonably, though. It is pretty much a one-pitch instrument – overtones are possible, but rarely used.  However, by humming, rolling the tongue, and changing the shape of the mouth while playing, the player can get a wide variety of sounds from the Didjeridu. It is also necessary to use circular breathing – pushing air from the cheeks through the instrument while breathing in through the nose – to sustain a drone of more than a few seconds on the instrument. This is much more challenging than it sounds.

The piece was not written with a “program,” but one has since presented itself:
The aurora begins slowly presenting itself in the southern sky, and at some point blooms fully.
A wise old aborigine sees the lights, and begins to play a rhythmic drone. Soon the lights join him and dance to his music. 

Aurora Australis was composed for, and dedicated to the Peninsula Youth Orchestra and their conductor, Mitchell Sardou Klein, in honor of their fourth season and tour of Australia and New Zealand

Orchestration:
*3-2-*3-2 - 4-3-3-1 - 3 perc - hp - piano - str, plus didgeridu soloist.
Percussion includes Orchestra Bells, Marimba (important part!), wind chimes, tubular bells, a slapstick, suspended cymbal, triangle, Australian Rhythm Sticks (or claves), 3 tuned tom-toms (Roto-Toms work nicely), and a bass drum with a very tight sound.

Here is a recording (The Peninsula Symphony Orchestra - Mitchell Sardou Klein, conductor, March 2015. Zacharia Spellman, Didjeridu) Aurora Australis