A Knight's Tale: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Strommen crafts this Grade 2 band work with genuine narrative arc rather than shallow programmaticism. The opening fanfare immediately signals drama and scale, then the composer sustains musical interest through genuine thematic development across the middle sections, giving student musicians real material to shape and balance rather than just marking time until the next flashy moment.

A cinematic unfolding: fanfare and pageantry open the stage, then the music shifts through moments of heroism, struggle, and reflection. Throughout runs an underlying sense of noble purpose, balanced with accessible orchestration that lets younger ensembles feel the grandeur of the material.

Band directors seeking repertoire that engages students with storytelling without condescending to Grade 2 musicians. This score works equally well for concert programs and festival performance, offering substantial material without excessive technical demands.

• Shape the opening fanfare to suggest pageantry without letting it become rhythmically loose; think procession clarity rather than concert-march precision.
• Listen carefully to balance during thematic transitions. Strommen layers story through instrumental color, so secondary melodies in lower voices and middle voices need space to emerge.
• Build intensity gradually through the battle passages by bringing dynamics into the supporting figures, not just the melody line; this keeps energy moving forward naturally.
• Mark entrances during key structural moments so all sections understand when the musical 'scene' shifts. This piece rewards conductors who clarify the narrative through clear, confident gesture.

Program this as a concert centerpiece for a fall or winter band concert, where its thematic clarity and moderate length create strong programming momentum. It also pairs well with a lighter opening number and a contrasting closing piece, forming a satisfying three-work arc for a full recital.

• Sustaining lyrical phrasing across longer melodic lines
• Balancing ensemble texture when melody moves between sections
• Responding to clear narrative structure through musical interpretation
• Controlling crescendos and diminuendos over multiple measures
• Coordinating articulation changes that shift the character of a theme