Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$65.00 USD

Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51805
Price: 65.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Traditional Tune ("New Britain") / arr. Scott Watson

Grade: 2

Item: 00-51805

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Amazing Grace, one of the most enduring and beloved songs known the world over, means many things to many people. The tune, a pentatonic folk song known as "New Britain," existed separately from the famous 18th-century hymn text by John Newton with which it eventually became associated. For some, hearing or singing the song gives strength during trials; for others, it is a promise of hope and a balm of comfort at a funeral. For yet others, it is a reminder of their humanness, but with the possibility of forgiveness and mercy.

Watson's heartfelt new setting---employing fresh contemporary harmonies, a rapturous modulation, and reflective closing moments---was created for our time to cast new light on the centuries-old melody. Amazing Grace is the perfect lyrical ballad for your intermediate band. (2:50)

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Series: Young Symphonic Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-7406-8

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-7406-9

UPC: 038081596235

SKU: 00-51805

More about this title

About the Arranger: Scott Watson

Scott Watson has shaped music education across two parallel careers. For 35 years, he taught instrumental music in the Parkland School District near Allentown, Pennsylvania, serving first as high school Director of Bands and later as coordinator of the elementary and string programs across the district. His classroom experience directly informs his compositional voice.

Now Associate Professor of Music at Cairn University, Watson has become one of the most performed contemporary composers in the band world, with over 120 published works for concert band, string orchestra, and chamber ensembles. His music has been heard at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and the White House. He is an exclusive composer and clinician for Alfred Publications, a frequent guest conductor at festival and honor bands, and authored the influential text Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity (Oxford University Press, 2011).

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Why we love this

Watson's arrangement captures what makes Amazing Grace endure across generations without abandoning what makes it sacred. The contemporary harmonies and reflective closing moments give conductors and players room to invest emotionally, while the rapturous modulation provides a moment of genuine musical drama. At Grade 2, it sits perfectly for intermediate bands seeking a piece that sounds substantive and feels deeply rewarding to perform.

What to expect

Intimate and expansive at once. The pentatonic melody carries the familiarity of a spiritual, but Watson's fresh harmonies create moments of surprise and depth. The arc from quiet opening through modulation to a contemplative close invites both vulnerability and strength.

Who it's for

Intermediate concert bands looking for a piece that honors tradition while offering contemporary musical substance. This works equally well for ensembles prioritizing emotional maturity in their selections and those seeking contest or festival repertoire that audiences connect with immediately.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody with a consistent, singing tone from the opening phrase. This arrangement hinges on the band's ability to sustain lyrical line, so balance inner parts to support rather than compete with the tune.
Approach the modulation as a turning point, not just a harmonic shift. Let the energy build naturally into the new key and allow the band to breathe before the reflective closing section.
Give yourself time in rehearsal to explore the dynamic arc. The arrangement offers opportunities for subtle shaping that distinguish the opening statement from its later returns, making the familiar melody feel renewed each time it appears.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert exploring the intersection of folk tradition and contemporary composition, pairing it with other spirituals or hymn-based works. Its 2:50 duration and expressive demands make it an ideal closer for a concert segment, leaving audiences in a reflective space. It also serves festival and contest circuits well, offering judges substantive interpretation work at an accessible level.

Skills your students will build

Sustained legato phrasing across phrases of varying length
Balancing melody and accompaniment in a lyrical texture
Responding to harmonic modulation with appropriate dynamic and tonal adjustment
Interpreting contemporary arranging techniques applied to familiar material
Conducting and performing with emotional intention rather than mechanical accuracy