Grade 4 Concert Band Music

Teachers keep returning to Mt. Everest by Rossano Galante for its engaging orchestration and technical interest at the medium-difficult level. Rail Riffs by Brian Balmages and Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson round out the most-performed titles, both delivering strong concert impact with graspable technical demands. The Polar Express Concert Suite (arranged by both Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri) remains a perennial favorite for winter concert programming.

Recent additions include Echoes Across the Pines and The Glass Wilderness by Rossano Galante, Luminance by JaRod Hall, and Infinite Trajectories by Mark Lortz, all published in June 2026.

Brian Balmages is known for music that spans orchestral, band, and chamber idioms with equal facility. His work has been performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to elementary school auditoriums. Rail Riffs exemplifies his ability to craft pieces that engage students while maintaining musical substance.

Robert W. Smith brings prolific output (over 400 publications) and deep pedagogical grounding to this repertoire. His original concert band and orchestral works circulate worldwide and appear regularly on contest and festival programs. His Harry Potter Symphonic Suite remains a fixture in grade 4 programming.

Rossano Galante studied film scoring under Jerry Goldsmith at USC after earning his trumpet performance degree from SUNY Buffalo. He has brought that cinematic sensibility to concert band writing, most visibly in Mt. Everest, which has become the best-performing title in this entire collection. His recent pieces The Glass Wilderness and Echoes Across the Pines continue this approach.

Robert Sheldon stands among the most performed composers of wind band music today and serves as lead author of Sound Innovations for Concert Band. His award-winning compositions balance technical interest with genuine musical expression that resonates with ensembles across performance levels.