A Jefferson Portrait: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Del Borgo captures the gravity and forward momentum of Jefferson's words without resorting to flag-waving clichés. The inclusion of a narrator grounds the music in text, creating natural dramatic arcs that young musicians can both hear and understand, making this a piece where the band truly serves the larger artistic vision.

Stirring and contemplative by turns, the work honors the words of the Declaration while the orchestration keeps things grounded in a contemporary harmonic world. You'll hear moments of genuine emotion alongside the patriotic current, creating a piece that doesn't feel nostalgic but rather timely.

This piece fits squarely in the young band and early high school concert band curriculum. It works for ensembles that have basic fundamentals in place and are ready to explore patriotic themes with musical sophistication beyond the obvious.

• Coordinate closely with your narrator during rehearsals so the ensemble hears how their musical phrases respond to and support the spoken text. This interdependence between speech and sound needs time to crystallize.
• Shape the dynamics and phrasing in a way that lets the narrator breathe and be heard. Even at Grade 2, a well-balanced band can underscore rather than overpower spoken passages.
• Allow the contemporary harmonic language to unfold without over-explaining it. Young musicians often connect to modern compositional choices more intuitively than adults expect.

Reserve this for a closing concert slot where its emotional weight and thematic substance can land fully. Pairing it with a shorter, lighter opener makes the contrast work beautifully and gives your audience time to settle into the reflective mood before the narrator begins.

• Balancing ensemble sound against a spoken text
• Responding musically to phrasing and emphasis cues from a narrator
• Playing contemporary harmonic language with tonal integrity
• Sustaining emotional expression across longer concert works