Bluster: (wp) 2nd B-flat Trombone T.C.
By Thomas Kahelin
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0014585_wpTN2TC
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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
" 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: (wp) 2nd B-flat Trombone T.C. 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
SKU:
00-PC-0014585_wpTN2TC
More about this title
Why we love this
Kahelin captures a genuinely specific regional phenomenon—those relentless Southern California winds—and transforms it into visceral musical energy without requiring your ensemble to reach advanced repertoire. The minor harmonies and articulation variety give Grade 2 students access to harmonic and expressive complexity they'd normally encounter several grade levels higher, making this both musically interesting and pedagogically smart.
What to expect
Raw, kinetic, and increasingly vivid. The piece sweeps across your band with the unpredictability Kahelin describes; gusts arrive and fade, harmonies shift and darken, and the percussion effects keep the visual narrative alive. It feels like standing in a landscape where wind dominates the moment.
Who it's for
Grade 2 concert bands seeking energetic festival or concert repertoire that doesn't sacrifice musical substance for accessibility. This work rewards ensembles ready to engage with minor tonality, varied articulation, and dynamic nuance without overwhelming younger or less experienced musicians.
How to get the most out of it
- Coordinate the rain stick and palm frond shaking to reinforce the unpredictability written into the melodic and harmonic lines; these percussion effects aren't decorative, they're integral to the wind portrayal.
- Shape the dynamic contrasts sharply to mirror sudden wind shifts. Grade 2 bands often play dynamics evenly; this score rewards directors who push for genuine, quick changes in volume and intensity.
- Balance the minor harmonic content carefully across sections so the colors read clearly rather than muddying. These are relatively fresh sounds for Grade 2 ears, so ensemble precision helps the tonal language land.
How to use it
Ideal for festival competition or spring concert programming where you want to showcase your band's technical growth without programming music that skews too advanced for the ensemble level. The dramatic, scenic subject matter programs well alongside more lyrical pieces, offering visual variety to both musicians and audience.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing minor key tonalities at Grade 2 difficulty
- Dynamic contrast and rapid dynamic shifts
- Articulation variety (especially in wind sections portraying gusts)
- Precision ensemble balance in chromatic and moderately complex harmonic contexts
- Coordination between pitched instruments and unpitched percussion effects