3, 2, 1 . . . Cover Image

3, 2, 1...: Concert Band Conductor Score

$14.00 USD
$14.00 USD
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3, 2, 1 . . . Cover Image
3, 2, 1...: Concert Band Conductor Score

3, 2, 1...: Concert Band Conductor Score

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 2.5

Item: 98-B1769S
$14.00
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Description
Everyone is still. The countdown begins. And in a single moment, adrenaline surges in an eruption of energy and power. This intense closer does not let go, keeping the audience and performer on the edge of their seats throughout. Very playable - just make sure you find time to catch your breath (or does that refer to the audience?...). Ready, set...

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Additional Details
Series: FJH Young Band
Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.
UPC: 241444526866
SKU: 98-B1769S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built a reputation as a composer and conductor equally at home in orchestral, band, and chamber music settings. His works have been performed by ensembles ranging from professional orchestras to elementary school groups across venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and is a recipient of the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association.

Balmages has received commissions from major institutions and his music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. As a conductor, he maintains regular engagements with all-state and regional ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide, and appears frequently at major conducting conferences and clinics. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

Why we love this

A Grade 2.5 closer that actually feels like a closer. Balmages builds genuine dramatic weight without overshooting the technical demands of a developing band, which means your students will nail the impact rather than drowning in complexity. The pacing keeps audiences locked in from that opening silence through the final punch, making this a smart choice for contest rounds or concert finales where you need a piece that lands.

What to expect

The opening stillness feels almost uncomfortable, like the moment before something breaks. Then it arrives, and the energy is relentless and physical, keeping both the ensemble and the room in a state of controlled intensity that never allows for a settling breath.

Who it's for

Concert bands at the late Grade 2 to early Grade 3 level who need a finale with genuine drama and audience engagement. It works equally well for festival performance or as a show-closing piece in a concert program where you want to send the audience home energized.

How to get the most out of it

  • Control the silence before the downbeat. That stillness is your setup; treat it as actively as you would any marked tempo. The contrast is what creates the surge.
  • Map out breathing points with your section leaders ahead of time. The sustained energy means your students need clear strategies for air management or the momentum collapses.
  • Balance the low brass articulation with the upper voices. This piece thrives on rhythmic clarity, but not at the expense of blend.

How to use it

Save this for the final slot on a concert or festival schedule. Its energy and forward momentum make it an ideal closer, but its playability at this level also makes it a strong choice for a contest finale where you want the judges to remember precision and control as much as excitement.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining ensemble energy and focus through extended passages
  • Articulation clarity and rhythmic precision at faster tempos
  • Breath management and phrasing in high-energy musical contexts
  • Response to sudden dynamic and textural shifts
  • Building and maintaining dramatic tension through contrast

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