American Big Top: E-flat Baritone Saxophone
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 3
Item: 98-PC-DB1735_BTX
$7.00
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Description
The spirit of Charles Ives comes alive in this wacky and clever American-style circus march! Featuring snippets of many patriotic favorites intertwined with a wealth of original material, layered harmonies and rhythms, this is a highly entertaining and unique work that works equally well as a march, festival work, or closer!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, American Big Top: E-flat Baritone Saxophone comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Concert Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1735_BTX
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor whose work spans orchestral, band, and chamber music at every level. His compositions have been performed by professional symphony orchestras and elementary school ensembles alike in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest. Balmages was also commissioned by the University of Miami to compose music for the inauguration of the institution's 6th president, and his work was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service.
As a conductor, Balmages regularly leads all-state and regional ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide. His guest conducting appearances include the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous state and national conferences. An elected member of the American Bandmasters Association, he currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages nails the Grade 3 sweet spot where students can handle some musical complexity without drowning in technical demands. The layering of patriotic tunes over original material gives your band the satisfaction of recognizing familiar melodies while exploring Ives-inspired compositional wit, and that dual personality (march and festival closer) means you get two programming options from one rehearsal investment.
What to expect
A high-spirited romp through American musical tradition with a wink and a nod. The interwoven patriotic snippets create moments of instant recognition, while the original material and layered harmonies keep the piece feeling fresh and unpredictable, like watching a circus where every act is both familiar and surprising.
Who it's for
Bands at the Grade 3 level who want something clever and genuinely fun without sacrificing musicality. This works beautifully for groups building ensemble balance and comfortable with mixed meters, as well as directors seeking a piece that keeps audiences engaged and performers smiling.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the quoted patriotic melodies so they cut through the original material without overpowering it; this requires careful sectional work where some players carry the familiar tune while others provide harmonic and rhythmic context
- Lean into the rhythmic variety and meter shifts with clear conducting patterns; students need to see exactly where the beat lives when the texture gets wacky
- Let the humor breathe by giving the ensemble room to settle into each musical idea before moving to the next; the cleverness lands when there's space between the jokes
How to use it
Program this as a closer or featured festival selection where its entertainment value and celebratory character lift the final moments of a concert. It also serves as an ideal anchor for a patriotic or Americana-themed program, sitting comfortably alongside more serious works because its sophistication reads as genuine musicality, not novelty.
Skills your students will build
- Reading mixed meters and rhythmic complexity while maintaining ensemble cohesion
- Balancing multiple melodic lines and harmonic textures in thick orchestration
- Identifying and executing quotations of familiar melodies within a complex harmonic context
- Responding to conducting precision in passages with layered rhythmic independence