Declaration in Blue: Concert Band Conductor Score

$9.00 USD

Declaration in Blue: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Declaration in Blue: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-BDM02052C
Price: 9.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Robert W. Smith

Grade: 2 (Easy)

Item: 00-BDM02052C

$9.00

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Here's an engaging selection that is built completely around the blues scale. Percussion support for the style adds a flavor of the real thing. A stupendous introduction to the blues for your band and great program literature as well. (2:19)

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Series: Belwin Young Band

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 20

UPC: 654979038511

SKU: 00-BDM02052C

More about this title

About the Composer: Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith stands among America's most accomplished and prolific composers for concert band and orchestra, with more than 400 published works. He studied music education at Troy State University in Alabama and earned a Master's degree in music from the University of Miami. His symphonic works, including The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey, have resonated with musicians and audiences across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Beyond the concert hall, Smith's music has appeared in Olympic broadcasts, network television specials, and major ceremonial events worldwide. His work for developing ensembles, such as The Tempest, has become standard repertoire for concert bands at all levels. He has conducted and clinicked throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and Europe, bringing his distinctive compositional voice directly to the musicians who perform his music.

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Why we love this

Smith has crafted a blues piece that doesn't feel like a textbook exercise. The full commitment to the blues scale throughout gives students an authentic harmonic and melodic foundation without requiring them to already understand jazz vocabulary. Percussion becomes a genuine ensemble voice here rather than accompaniment, which means your whole band gets invested in nailing the style together.

What to expect

Relaxed and grooved. The blues scale creates a warm, slightly smoky harmonic landscape that's accessible but never simplistic. There's room to breathe and space to let the melody speak, with percussion colors adding texture and authenticity throughout.

Who it's for

Grade 2 bands ready to explore a structured style beyond standard march and hymn-based repertoire. This works especially well for groups that benefit from having a clear harmonic and melodic framework while learning to listen and adjust to a specific musical language. Young musicians at any school can benefit from experiencing the blues as a real compositional approach, not just a theory concept.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the melody against the blues scale accompaniment figures. The supporting harmonies should sit back enough that the primary line cuts through clearly, especially in the brass sections.
Let the percussion anchor the groove. The rhythm section's interpretation of the style will shape how the entire band interprets the swing and pocket of the piece.
Shape the introduction carefully. Setting the right mood and tempo foundation here establishes the blues character before the ensemble enters.

How to use it

Program this as a palate cleanser between a traditional march and a more contemporary work, or use it to open a second half that shifts the concert's energy. The two-minute-plus duration makes it substantial enough to stand alone while remaining energetic and engaging for an audience of all ages.