Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score

$10.00 USD

Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Amazing Grace: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51805S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

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

Grade: 2

Item: 00-51805S

$10.00

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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.

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Series: Young Symphonic Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-7407-6

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-7407-6

UPC: 038081596242

SKU: 00-51805S

More about this title

About the Arranger: Scott Watson

Scott Watson spent 35 years in the classroom, building the instrumental music program at Parkland School District in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he served as high school Director of Bands and then coordinated the elementary band and strings curriculum across the district. Now Associate Professor of Music at Cairn University, Watson has become one of the most frequently performed contemporary composers in the band world, with more than 120 published works that draw equally from concert art music traditions and practical band room experience.

His compositions have been heard at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Midwest Clinic, and the White House. Watson is an exclusive composer and clinician for Alfred Publications, contributes to the Sound Innovations series, and authored the influential text Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity. His arrangements and original works reflect both his deep knowledge of what students can achieve and his commitment to creating music that matters.

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Why we love this

Watson takes one of the world's most familiar melodies and restores its power without losing what makes it recognizable. The contemporary harmonies and strategic modulation give your players something to sink their teeth into, while the reflective closing gives you a legitimate moment of ensemble silence and introspection in a program. At Grade 2, the technical demands stay reasonable, but the musical ones are substantial.

What to expect

Familiar yet transformed. The melody you know settles into fresh harmonic surroundings that feel contemporary without sounding precious or detached from the hymn's spiritual roots. There's a warmth and dignity throughout, punctuated by a moment of genuine harmonic surprise that opens new interpretive space.

Who it's for

Intermediate concert bands looking for repertoire that honors a beloved standard while challenging players musically and emotionally. This works equally well for festival programs, community performances, or memorial services where the song carries personal meaning.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody with long, singing lines in the opening statement; resist the impulse to articulate every note. Let the woodwinds carry the initial phrase without rhythmic fussiness.
Prepare students for the modulation by rehearsing it separately from context, so the harmonic shift lands as meaningful rather than startling.
Balance the contemporary harmonies carefully in the middle sections; they support rather than upstage the tune, but unclear voicing will muddy the texture.
Honor the reflective closing by allowing genuine space and silence. This is where the arrangement's emotional arc completes.

How to use it

Anchor a program section with reverent, introspective material, or use it as a standalone piece for special performances where emotional resonance matters more than technical display. It pairs well with other spirituals or folk-song arrangements, and its moderate length makes it ideal for community concerts or memorial programs.