Above and Beyond: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Robert Buckley
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00464220
$70.00
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Description
Written as a celebratory piece, "Above and Beyond" is a stirring overture that explodes with energy and enthusiasm - a tribute to the quest for the extraordinary and the desire to do more than is required. Built around three distinct themes which are organically developed, the work contains powerful and triumphant melodies, driving percussion, dynamic contrasts and a marvelous "cantabile." This exhilarating concert opener exemplifies joy and spirit.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00464220
More about this title
Why we love this
Buckley constructs three distinct themes that unfold naturally throughout the work, giving your band genuine material to develop rather than a one-idea piece that outstays its welcome. The interplay between powerful, triumphant sections and the cantabile passage creates real interpretive choices for a conductor, and your students will feel the difference between pushing forward and pulling back.
What to expect
Exuberance mixed with craftsmanship. The piece charges forward with conviction, full of brass and energy, then pulls back into moments of lyricism that feel earned rather than tacked on. It's celebratory without being frivolous, ambitious without overshooting the grade level.
Who it's for
Grade 3 bands ready for a substantial concert opener that combines technical accessibility with genuine musical substance. This works well for groups that have solid fundamentals and are developing their ability to work with longer formal structures.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the three themes during their initial presentations so each one lands clearly in the ears of your ensemble members. They'll need to identify these ideas before they can develop them convincingly.
- Shape the driving percussion parts as a forward-moving pulse rather than pure timekeeping. The energy comes from intention, not just volume.
- Find the singing quality in the cantabile section by treating it like a melodic line rather than a break in the action. This moment offers your band a chance to demonstrate control and musical maturity.
How to use it
Open a concert with this to set an immediate tone of confidence and spirit. It also reads well as the capstone to a festival program when you want to send students off energized, or pair it with a more introspective piece to create dynamic contrast within a single set.
Skills your students will build
- Thematic development and recognition across instrumental sections
- Dynamic shaping between forte and piano passages
- Sustained phrasing in a lyrical context within a fast-moving work
- Ensemble balance when multiple themes sound simultaneously
- Percussion coordination with forward harmonic motion