Broken Pieces: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

The opening creates an almost intimate quality, with delicate toy block textures suggesting fragility and careful assembly. The harmonic language feels contemporary without alienating younger listeners, building gradually toward a final section that explodes with joy and affirmation.

Grade 3 concert bands seeking repertoire with genuine artistic substance and creative instrumentation that doesn't sacrifice musicality for novelty. Directors looking for a concert or festival selection that engages audiences emotionally and sparks conversation about what the piece means.

• Assign the toy block parts to ensemble members who can sustain focus and precision; the non-traditional instrumentation requires absolute clarity about who plays what and when. Establish clear hand signals or cues with your principal percussionists before rehearsing with the full band.
• Shape the melodic material with long-line phrasing even when harmonic color shifts. The striking harmonies and percussion elements can overshadow the tune if the melody section isn't singing through each phrase.
• Build contrast between the opening delicate texture and the closing up-tempo celebration by adjusting both tempo and dynamic range significantly. The final section needs genuine lift and rhythmic precision to land its celebratory character.

Position this as a concert centerpiece that allows your audience to settle in and truly listen rather than as a warm-up or filler piece. It pairs well with contrasting selections (something lighter before it, or a more traditional closing piece after) and works equally effectively in concert or festival contexts.

• Playing sustained, centered tones to support delicate harmonic textures
• Coordinating with non-traditional percussion voices and maintaining rhythmic precision alongside unconventional instruments
• Executing quick tempo shifts and maintaining control during accelerated final sections
• Balancing individual voice clarity with ensemble blend when harmonic language is contemporary or unfamiliar