Conquest: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Conquest: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1157S
Price: 12.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Level:.5

Item: 98-B1157S

$12.00

Shipped

One moment…

Uses only 5 notes! Opening with a drone, the melody begins in unison and then expands with simple harmonies in rhythmic unison. A second section includes pulsating band hits interspersed with brief section features. An easy new work for your first concert.

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Series: FJH Starter Series

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444466162

SKU: 98-B1157S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal facility. His works have been performed by ensembles ranging from professional orchestras to elementary school groups in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association.

Balmages holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Miami, institutions that have honored him with distinguished alumni recognition and commissioning opportunities respectively. His music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, and he regularly conducts all-state, regional, university, and professional ensembles worldwide. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Conquest proves that a powerful opening concert doesn't require complex notation or stretched ranges. Balmages designs this piece so every section participates meaningfully from the downbeat, building confidence in young players while delivering the energy your audience expects. The five-note constraint forces elegant, memorable melody writing that sticks with listeners and feels achievable for students encountering concert band repertoire for the first time.

What to expect

The piece opens with meditative restraint, a single sustained pitch that grounds the ensemble before melody enters like a sunrise. The second section erupts with rhythmic vitality and sectional spotlights, making the band feel alive and purposeful.

Who it's for

Conductors introducing concert band to beginners or programming a show-opening moment that showcases your group's fundamental musicianship. This is equally valuable as a contest or festival selection where accessibility and musical integrity must coexist.

How to get the most out of it

Keep the opening drone perfectly stable by rotating which section breathes first; the bass must anchor the harmonic foundation while melody instruments float above it cleanly.
Shape the melodic expansion moments with slight dynamic swells that follow the harmonic layers, resisting the urge to let everything grow loud at once.
Separate the pulsating band hits from the sustained passages by shaving just a touch of space between them; clarity over precision matters here.

How to use it

Open your first concert of the season with Conquest to establish band culture and musicianship before moving to repertoire with greater technical demands. It also pairs beautifully on a festival program alongside a contrasting middle work and a closing showstopper, demonstrating range without overwhelming young ensembles.