Apollo Fanfare: Score
By Robert W. Smith
Grade: 0.5 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0002148
$9.00
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Description
This dynamic original work will serve equally well as an opener or closer for your beginning ensemble. Solidly scored with energy and enthusiasm, this is a true musical celebration! (2:13)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Apollo Fanfare: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Very Beginning Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
268
SKU:
00-PR-0002148
More about this title
About the Composer: Robert W. Smith
Robert W. Smith stands among America's most performed composers for concert band and orchestra, with over 400 published works to his name. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Troy State University and his Master of Music from the University of Miami, establishing himself as both a skilled composer and conductor.
Smith's compositions have achieved remarkable reach: his symphonies The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey resonate with ensembles across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Beyond concert halls, his music has graced television broadcasts, Olympic ceremonies, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and major sporting events. His work for developing ensembles, including The Tempest and numerous accessible pieces, has become foundational repertoire in bands across the country.
Why we love this
Apollo Fanfare delivers immediate musicality without overwhelming a beginning ensemble. The piece opens with confident scoring and sustains energy throughout, giving your band genuine excitement to perform rather than something merely serviceable. This is exactly the kind of opening or closing selection that reminds students why they love playing together.
What to expect
Apollo Fanfare radiates celebration and forward motion. Bright, purposeful scoring gives the impression of a much larger ensemble than Grade 0.5 typically permits, with enough rhythmic energy to keep younger players engaged and listening.
Who it's for
Conductors of beginning concert bands seeking a confident opener or finale that doesn't compromise musical substance. This works equally well for a young ensemble's first concert or as a warm-up for developing musicians building confidence in a larger program.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melodic material across your sections. Even at this accessibility level, Smith distributes thematic content thoughtfully, so ensure clarity of line by checking that no section overshadows another during rehearsal.
- Build the arc from the first note. Don't let the very easy grade level fool you into a sluggish tempo; the 2:13 duration indicates brisk pacing that keeps the fanfare feeling celebratory.
- Shape phrases with deliberate releases rather than running through to the end. Brief articulation clarity between phrases keeps the energy sparkling.
How to use it
Open your concert with this piece to set a confident, musical tone from the first downbeat. Alternatively, close a program on it for a triumphant final impression that sends the audience out energized. It pairs well alongside other accessible concert band works when you're building a program that showcases emerging musicianship.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining steady tempo and ensemble pulse in a through-composed work
- Balancing articulation across wind sections at a brisk tempo
- Responding to conducted phrasing and releases
- Reading and executing Grade 0.5 concert band voicing