Concert Etude, Opus 49: Concert Band Conductor Score

David Marlatt's orchestration transforms this iconic trumpet vehicle into a full ensemble experience without overshadowing the soloist. The Grade 3 arrangement lets your band provide genuine musical support while keeping technical demands on the ensemble manageable, so rehearsal time stays focused on the trumpet part where it belongs.

Brilliant and driving, with passages that demand absolute control from the soloist. The full band orchestration adds warmth and grandeur that a piano accompaniment simply cannot achieve, creating moments of genuine sweep when the trumpet and ensemble lock together in the broader sections.

This arrangement serves concert bands that want to feature a strong trumpet soloist at a Grade 3 level of ensemble difficulty. Directors preparing students for contest, festival, or college auditions will find this piece checks multiple boxes: it's recognizable, demands real trumpet artistry, and sits comfortably alongside standard concert band literature.

• Establish a steady, confident tempo before the soloist enters; the brisk pace drives the entire work, and any hesitation in the accompaniment will undermine the trumpet's technical momentum.
• Balance the band sound so the trumpet's double-tonguing passages cut through without the ensemble drowning out articulation clarity.
• Mark the ensemble entrances after trumpet solo sections carefully; the transitions from unaccompanied trumpet back to full band require clean attacks from the entire group.
• Work the band's rhythmic precision separately, especially rhythmic figures that support rather than compete with the soloist's figuration.

Position this as a showcase moment within a concert, pairing it with contrasting repertoire that highlights different ensemble colors. The piece works equally well as a contest or festival selection and makes a powerful statement about your trumpet section's capabilities without requiring the full ensemble to reach advanced technical or musical levels.

• Double-tonguing articulation and control at brisk tempos
• Balancing a solo line against ensemble accompaniment
• Sustaining technical accuracy and musical shape across virtuosic passages
• Ensemble precision when shifting between full-band and sparse accompaniment textures