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Countdown!: Concert Band Conductor Score

$12.00 USD
$12.00 USD
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Countdown!: Concert Band Conductor Score

Countdown!: Concert Band Conductor Score

By Brant Karrick

Grade: 2.5

Item: 00-50407S
$12.00
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Description
Get ready for an exhilarating piece that demands precision from your students. Countdown, by Brant Karrick invites players into a rhythmic adventure, especially with its challenging eighth notes and rests that require diligent counting and subdivision. Its blend of harmonic and melodic elements with abundant syncopation gives the piece a distinctive jazz-rock character. It's compelling from the very first measure!

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Additional Details
Series: Young Symphonic Series
Publisher: Alfred Music
ISBN10: 1-4706-8055-6
ISBN13: 978-1-4706-8055-8
UPC: 038081604848
SKU: 00-50407S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brant Karrick

Brant Karrick

Brant Karrick has shaped band programs across three decades as a teacher, conductor, and composer. Since 2003, he has directed the entire band curriculum at Northern Kentucky University, where he teaches conducting, instrumental methods, and music theory alongside his administrative role. His background includes nine years at the University of Toledo and seven years in Kentucky public schools, grounded in a Ph.D. in music education from Louisiana State University (1994).

Karrick's compositions and arrangements have circulated internationally across North America, Europe, South Africa, South America, Japan, and Australia. Active as a guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician, he remains deeply engaged in teacher preparation and the work of composition. His professional memberships include NAFME, the College Band Directors National Association, and ASCAP.

Why we love this

Countdown delivers rhythmic momentum without sacrificing musical substance. Karrick writes for Grade 2.5 bands with genuine compositional craft: the jazz-rock swagger, syncopated lines, and clean harmonic architecture feel sophisticated, not oversimplified. Your students will engage seriously with the counting and precision demands while genuinely enjoying what they're playing.

What to expect

Countdown pulses with the energy of modern jazz-rock fusion from the opening measure. The harmonic language and abundant syncopation create a contemporary, driving sound that feels urgent and propulsive, drawing audiences immediately into the rhythmic adventure.

Who it's for

Grade 2.5 concert bands preparing contest and festival repertoire. This score works well for directors seeking a piece with genuine musical substance that also teaches rhythmic accuracy and subdivision skills without patronizing young players.

How to get the most out of it

  • Isolate the syncopated passages in sectional rehearsals first. Have students tap and count the rhythm independently before adding melody or harmony; this builds the subdivision foundation the piece demands.
  • Lock in the eighth-note subdivisions across all sections during early rehearsals. Use a metronome at slower tempos and have players verbally count aloud to internalize the rhythmic language.
  • Emphasize the interplay between rhythmic precision and musical phrasing. Countdown should snap rhythmically but never sound mechanical; balance counting accuracy with musical line and character.
  • Mark rests in pencil. Given the syncopation and rhythmic complexity, clear rest notation helps students stay oriented through the syncopated sections.

How to use it

Program this on festival or contest concerts where you want to showcase your band's rhythmic control and musicianship. Its contemporary character pairs well alongside traditional repertoire, offering contrast and demonstrating range. The piece also works as a strong closer for spring concerts where energy and precision leave a lasting impression.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and maintaining eighth-note subdivisions in syncopated contexts
  • Counting and sustaining accuracy through syncopated rhythmic figures
  • Balancing rhythmic precision with musical phrasing and character
  • Ensemble entrances and coordination in syncopated passages
  • Interpreting jazz-rock style articulation and phrasing

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