Comet Ride: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$70.00 USD

Comet Ride: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Comet Ride: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1291
Price: 70.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 1.5

Item: 98-B1291

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Based on the Deep Impact mission in which scientists crashed a probe into a comet at approximately 23,000 mph, the composer writes, "So what would it be like if someone could actually grab on to one of these comets and take a ride through the solar system?" Conveying that very feeling, the work begins with a sighting of the comet, then takes off on a wild roller-coaster ride, including glimpses of the sheer beauty of outer space. Hold on for the ride of your life!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Comet Ride: 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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Series: FJH Developing Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398219858

SKU: 98-B1291

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor with reach across orchestral, band, and chamber music contexts. His works have been heard in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles spanning from professional orchestras to school groups. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, alongside winning the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light.

As a guest conductor, Balmages regularly works with all-state and regional ensembles, university bands, and professional groups worldwide. He has led clinics at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous state conferences. His music received national recognition when performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. Currently, Balmages serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages captures genuine spectacle here without demanding virtuosity. The comet narrative unfolds naturally through the band's voice, with moments of genuine spatial beauty balanced against propulsive excitement, making it equally rewarding to conduct and to sit in the ensemble. For contest circuits and fall concerts, this fills the program slot where you need accessibility without sacrificing musicianship.

What to expect

You launch from a moment of cosmic stillness into kinetic energy, racing through space at impossible velocity. The music captures both the mechanical intensity of the probe impact and the serene, almost meditative beauty of drifting past distant celestial bodies.

Who it's for

Developing bands with secure fundamentals and emerging ensemble cohesion will thrive with this work. The Grade 1.5 level makes it accessible for groups building confidence in larger forms, while the programmatic hook keeps students engaged through rehearsal.

How to get the most out of it

Let the opening establish mystery before the acceleration takes hold. The contrast between sighting and ride works only if the first section breathes.
Balance the tutti moments with clear texture. At this level, players can disappear into a thick texture fast; clarity of line keeps the narrative visible.
Honor the dynamic peaks during the roller-coaster section without letting tempo slip. The ride's thrill depends on rhythmic stability holding the excitement together.

How to use it

Open a family concert with this piece to grab attention immediately, or position it as a centerpiece in a fall festival program where it can anchor a set around science and exploration themes. Its accessibility makes it strong material for a contest round where you need impact without program complexity.