Among the Clouds Cover Image

Among the Clouds: Concert Band Conductor Score

$17.00 USD
$17.00 USD
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Among the Clouds Cover Image
Among the Clouds: Concert Band Conductor Score

Among the Clouds: Concert Band Conductor Score

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 3

Item: 98-B1225S
$17.00
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Description
Flying is a favorite activity of lucid dreamers, who are able to become aware that they are dreaming and then control their actions while inside the dream. Among the Clouds takes us into the minds of these dreamers as they drift off to sleep and wake up in a world where they own the skies. After a slow, enchanting opening conveys the sense of drifting off to sleep, the aggressive theme of the fast section begins the amazing flight. This theme develops in several ways before coming to an invigorating conclusion. Highly accessible and exciting for medium level bands!

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Additional Details
Series: FJH Concert Band
Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.
UPC: 241444472620
SKU: 98-B1225S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages writes across orchestral, band, and chamber idioms with equal fluency, earning recognition from major institutions and performance venues worldwide. His compositions have appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, and the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association.

As a guest conductor, Balmages maintains active engagements with all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras globally, appearing at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous regional conferences. James Madison University and the University of Miami have both honored him with distinguished awards. He currently directs MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

Why we love this

The contrasting halves of this piece give conductors real material to shape: the serene opening demands control and clarity, while the aggressive fast section builds momentum through clever thematic development. Grade 3 bands can tackle both the technical and expressive demands without struggling, making it a confident choice for contest season or a spring concert where you want to showcase growth.

What to expect

The opening floats like someone settling into a dream, with gentle suspended harmonies that never quite resolve where you expect. Then the landscape shifts entirely: an aggressive theme takes over and builds through inventive transformations until the band reaches an exhilarating peak.

Who it's for

Grade 3 concert bands ready for a piece that balances musical storytelling with technical accessibility. Directors preparing for contests or festivals will appreciate both the musical depth and the manageable instrumentation demands.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the slow opening carefully so the ensemble stays together without dragging. The sense of drifting depends on restraint, not rushing.
  • Mark clear harmonic arrival points in the fast section so the aggressive theme lands with impact when it enters.
  • Bring out the thematic development passages by rotating which voices carry the main idea. This keeps the middle section from flattening.
  • Lean into the invigorating conclusion with confidence. Let the final statements ring without over-conducting.

How to use it

Pair this with other Grade 3 selections that explore contrasting moods for a varied concert program. The slow opening and fast action make it especially strong as a closing piece, where the energy of the finale sends the audience out on a high note.

Skills your students will build

  • Controlling dynamic shapes in slow, lyrical passages
  • Reading and executing articulation across full band textures
  • Maintaining ensemble cohesion through key thematic restatements
  • Balancing independence and blend in aggressive, contemporary harmonies

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