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Bluster: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

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Bluster: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

By Thomas Kahelin

Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-33854

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Description
The winds in foothill communities throughout southern California are often unpredictable and sometimes quite fierce. They can come and go in an instant or blow relentlessly all day. Bluster seeks to musically portray these wild winds in this colorful and energetic work. In addition to the rain stick, palm fronds may be shaken in the percussion section to give a visual depiction of the wind.

" The minor harmonies create some neat sounds students would not usually encounter until a higher grade level. There is a great variety of articulation and dynamics that captures the energy of fierce winds perfectly"
- The Instrumentalist

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Bluster: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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: Young Symphonic
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 254
UPC: 038081382630
SKU: 00-33854

More about this title

Why we love this

Kahelin captures a specific regional phenomenon—those fierce southern California foothills winds—with genuine musical character rather than generic storm music. The minor harmonies and articulation palette introduce Grade 2 students to colors and textures they won't find in standard beginning repertoire, making this both musically rewarding and pedagogically strategic for expanding their harmonic vocabulary.

What to expect

Raw and relentless, yet structured. The writing captures both sudden wind bursts and sustained atmospheric pressure through rapid articulation changes and dynamic surges, while the minor harmonies lend an edgy, slightly unsettling quality that keeps listeners engaged throughout.

Who it's for

Concert bands at Grade 2 level looking for repertoire with distinct regional character and harmonic sophistication beyond typical early-grade programming. This work suits ensembles preparing for both concert and festival settings where musical maturity and timbral variety matter.

How to get the most out of it

  • Build layered energy in the opening by having each section enter the primary melodic material in sequence; resist the urge to start everything at full volume.
  • Coordinate the rain stick and palm frond parts with your percussion section well in advance. These textural elements are integral to the wind portrayal, not afterthoughts.
  • Shape the minor harmonic passages with clear dynamic contours. These less familiar sonorities benefit from intentional shading to help the ensemble hear the individual chord colors.
  • Use the varied articulation markings as a rehearsal tool to distinguish wind gusts from sustained wind pressure; mark your parts accordingly so students understand the musical intent.

How to use it

Program this alongside other regionally inspired or nature-themed concert band works to create a thematic set, or place it strategically in a festival submission where judges value original compositional voice and age-appropriate harmonic challenge. Its energetic arc also works well as a program-opening statement.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and responding to varied articulation patterns (legato, staccato, accent combinations within single phrases)
  • Interpreting minor harmonies and dissonant sonorities unfamiliar at beginner levels
  • Balancing rhythmic precision with dynamic shaping in wind-texture passages
  • Ensemble coordination with non-pitched percussion (rain stick, palm fronds) as integral musical elements rather than decoration
  • Dynamic control across a wide range, from sparse and atmospheric to full ensemble forte

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