At a Turkish Market: E-flat Alto Saxophone 1
By William Owens
Grade: 2
Item: 98-PC-DB1275_AX1
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
This intrepid work paints a vivid picture of the wonderfully rambunctious outdoor markets for which Turkey is world famous. The driving dance is passed throughout the ensemble, and plenty of percussion makes it interesting for all. The middle section lightens things up a bit before the market becomes chaotic one final time. An obvious choice that your students and audience will love!
At a Turkish Market: E-flat Alto Saxophone 1 isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
FJH Young Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1275_AX1
More about this title
About the Composer: William Owens
William Owens brings three decades of classroom experience to his compositional work. A VanderCook College of Music graduate and Distinguished Alumnus, he spent 30 years directing bands in Texas before retiring in 2014. His catalog exceeds 300 published works for concert band, string orchestra, and small ensembles, many of which appear on state required music lists and serve as teaching staples across the country.
Owens has earned recognition from major music education organizations, including commissions from the American Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu International, and the South Plains College Department of Fine Arts. His approach to young band composition balances pedagogical clarity with genuine musical interest, a perspective shaped by his years in the rehearsal room. He holds memberships in ASCAP, TMEA, and Phi Beta Mu, and currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas.
Why we love this
Owens writes with the Grade 2 conductor's actual needs in mind. The piece delivers character and color without overwhelming younger players, and the sectional trading of the main theme keeps every chair engaged from first note to last. The chaos of the final market scene provides the kind of satisfying musical payoff that students remember long after festival season ends.
What to expect
Energy and color collide in a bustling market where every player has a voice. The driving rhythm propels the action forward, percussion weaves through the texture like vendors calling out their wares, and the whole ensemble tumbles into joyful chaos as the market reaches its peak. Between the frenzy sits a moment of calm clarity before the excitement rushes back.
Who it's for
Grade 2 concert bands looking for a culturally engaging selection with strong audience appeal. The piece works equally well for festival performance and concert programming, offering younger ensembles the chance to explore non-Western musical color while building confidence in sectional independence and ensemble cohesion.
How to get the most out of it
- Lean into the rhythmic drive without letting the tempo sprint away. The dance should feel propulsive and energetic, but maintaining a steady pulse keeps the percussion effects crisp and the ensemble together through the busier passages.
- Highlight the percussion conversations in both the opening and closing sections. They anchor the market atmosphere and give nonmelodic players the spotlight they deserve in a Grade 2 piece.
- Use the middle section's lighter character as a genuine contrast. Soften the dynamic, thin the orchestration mentally, and let the thinner texture breathe before the market returns in full force.
How to use it
Program this as a crowd-pleaser on a mixed concert where you need something that lands well with both families and fellow musicians. Its Grade 2 accessibility and strong thematic material make it an excellent festival selection, and the multicultural context positions it naturally alongside other world music programming or as a vibrant opener to a concert.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining a steady rhythmic drive while managing changing melodic responsibility
- Balancing independent sectional figures within an ensemble texture
- Responding to dynamic and character shifts (energetic to lyrical and back)
- Coordinating with percussion for ensemble cohesion and rhythmic precision