Da Vinci Sketches: Concert Band Conductor Score

$8.00 USD

Da Vinci Sketches: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Da Vinci Sketches: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1211S
Price: 8.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Erik Morales

Grade: 3

Item: 98-B1211S

$8.00

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One moment…

Drawing inspiration from the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci, Erik Morales offers this composition based on da Vinci's sketches relating to art, architecture, industry, and human flight. After an ethereal opening with a beautiful flute solo, the main theme is stated in its entirety. This theme builds through ever-changing textures as it climaxes in a massive percussion break before moving to the lyrical second theme, representing the Mona Lisa. The opening theme returns in a new setting as the piece comes to a stunning conclusion. Consider this one strongly!

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Series: FJH Concert Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444471258

SKU: 98-B1211S

More about this title

About the Composer: Erik Morales

Erik Morales has established himself as a composer equally comfortable writing for concert stage and classroom. Born in New York City in 1966, he studied composition at Florida International University and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette in 1989. His prolific catalog spans wind ensembles, orchestral works, jazz, and chamber music, with over 150 publications that consistently balance artistic integrity with pedagogical value.

Moreless's career took root immediately after high school when a former band director commissioned him to arrange marching band music. That early opportunity evolved into a steady stream of commissions from schools and organizations across the country. His trumpet works have garnered particular recognition, including first-place wins at the 2006 and 2008 National Trumpet Competitions and premieres at the International Trumpet Guild conferences. In 2016, he was inducted into the Louisiana Association for Jazz Education's Hall of Fame.

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Why we love this

Morales captures the wonder of invention and observation through purely musical means. The structure unfolds logically at grade 3, with an arresting flute opening that immediately draws listeners in, followed by thematic development that lets students experience how texture and orchestration drive a narrative without relying on extra-musical gimmicks.

What to expect

The music evokes both intimacy and grand ambition. The ethereal opening gives way to building energy and textural richness, then softens into lyricism, creating a journey that feels both structured and imaginative. There's a Renaissance sensibility here, elegant rather than bombastic.

Who it's for

Conductors programming a concert with intellectual or thematic depth beyond standard grade 3 fare. Students benefit from playing a composition that demonstrates how artistic ideas translate into musical architecture.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the opening flute solo with breath and phrasing that feels unhurried; this moment sets the contemplative tone for everything that follows.
Build the percussion break deliberately, layer by layer, so it feels earned rather than sudden. Each section's entrance should be distinct and confident.
Balance transparency in the lyrical second theme by letting the melody sing without thick accompaniment underneath; think chamber music, not tutti.
Use the return of the opening theme to explore color changes in your orchestration. If you moved the melody around in restatements, make sure that movement feels intentional.

How to use it

Program this as an opener or early in a concert set to establish an artistic frame for what follows. It works particularly well on festivals or in a set exploring music inspired by visual art or history, and its moderate length makes it ideal for mixed-level concert programs.

Skills your students will build

Controlling dynamic nuance across sustained passages
Responding to conductor cues in changing textural environments
Balancing melody and accompaniment roles
Executing percussion writing that supports rather than overshadows ensemble sound
Sustaining lyrical phrasing over multiple phrases