Desert Voices: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Desert Voices: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Desert Voices: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1371
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Roland Barrett

Grade: 2.5

Item: 98-B1371

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Depicting life in the desert, this captivating work begins with the haunting sounds of a baron desert as relentless heat hits it by day. At night, exotic plants and animals spring to life, portrayed with rhythmic vitality and bold musical statements. The work ends as softly as it began, with the relentless sun once again beating down on the parched desert. Intense and captivating!

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Series: FJH Young Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398223558

SKU: 98-B1371

More about this title

About the Composer: Roland Barrett

Roland Barrett has shaped music education and composition from two distinct vantage points. As Assistant Director of Bands for fifteen years before joining the University of Oklahoma's faculty in 2001, he worked directly with student musicians; now his teaching focuses on 20th century music theory and composition at both undergraduate and graduate levels, while he continues as musical arranger for the Pride of Oklahoma marching band.

Barrett's portfolio includes over two hundred published works and arrangements spanning symphonic band, chamber ensembles, and marching band. His compositions have appeared on National Public Radio and at major conventions including the Midwest Band & Orchestra Convention and International Trumpet Guild conference. He is a multiple ASCAPlus Award recipient and has seen his work performed by the Dallas Wind Symphony and countless All-State and All-Region honor ensembles.

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Why we love this

This piece delivers imaginative programmatic storytelling without sacrificing musical substance. Barrett creates vivid contrasts between the stark, shimmering opening and the energetic nocturnal middle section, giving your band a chance to explore both delicate texture and rhythmic drive at an accessible grade level. It's exactly the kind of contest piece that lets young musicians experience dramatic arc and orchestration sophistication.

What to expect

Desert Voices moves between stillness and vitality with theatrical clarity. The opening unsettles with sparse, shimmering sonorities that evoke heat and isolation; the central section erupts with rhythmic energy and bold instrumental colors that conjure nocturnal life springing awake. The closing brings you back to stillness and solitude, leaving the listener in contemplative space.

Who it's for

Grade 2.5 concert bands ready to tackle descriptive music with technical and musical substance. Directors seeking a piece that challenges young musicians' control over contrasting dynamics and sustained tone while remaining accessible to developing ensembles.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the opening carefully to establish the barren landscape. The sustained tones and sparse scoring need precise intonation and breath control to create that haunting quality; resist the urge to rush.
Let the rhythmic vitality of the nighttime section breathe with precision. The percussion and lower winds will anchor the bold statements, so lock the pulse early in rehearsal before layering other parts.
Balance the return to the desert at the end with intentional dynamics. The soft conclusion requires the same attention as the opening; this symmetry is what makes the arc complete.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a centerpiece for a concert exploring programmatic band music or as a strong contest selection that showcases your ensemble's dynamic range. Pair it with contrasting repertoire, either energetic march-style pieces or intimate chamber works, to highlight the piece's dramatic arc.