Diamondwood Celebration: Score
By Gary Fagan
Grade: 3 (Medium)
Item: 00-PR-0000836
$9.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
This attractive piece is full tuneful melodies and rhythmic drive. Punctuated and energetic themes contrast with beautiful legato melodies. The syncopation and sparkling orchestration will make this a favorite for students and audiences alike.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Diamondwood Celebration: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PR-0000836
More about this title
About the Composer: Gary Fagan
Gary Fagan's compositions have traveled from concert halls at the White House to the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, earning performances across the country and internationally. A Maryland native, he holds degrees in Music Education from Bridgewater College and a master's degree from James Madison University, and spent 36 years directing bands in Albemarle County before transitioning to university supervision and teaching.
Fagan's contributions to music education extend beyond the podium. He has earned the Central Virginia Outstanding Middle School Teacher award from UVA's Phi Delta Kappa chapter, recognition from the Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts, and distinction from the Piedmont Council of the Arts. Active as a clinician, adjudicator, and arranger for band and string orchestra, he serves as a percussionist and assistant director with the Charlottesville Band and maintains memberships in ASCAP, the National Band Association, and Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity.
Why we love this
Fagan writes with a clear ear for what engages young ensembles and their audiences. The piece balances textural variety, moving fluidly between punchy, syncopated passages and genuinely lyrical moments, so your students stay invested throughout rehearsal and your concert listeners stay engaged in their seats. Grade 3 repertoire at this level often settles into one character; this one refuses to.
What to expect
Diamondwood Celebration pulses with forward momentum and joy. Syncopated rhythms and bright orchestration create energy and sparkle, yet the score makes room for lyrical breathing, allowing musicians and listeners alike to experience moments of warmth alongside the driving excitement.
Who it's for
This concert band piece suits middle and early high school ensembles ready to handle rhythmic sophistication and dynamic contrast. Directors looking for a showpiece that showcases ensemble musicianship without requiring advanced technical demands will find reliable material here.
How to get the most out of it
- Bring out the contrast between the energetic, punctuated sections and the legato passages by asking students to adjust articulation and dynamics deliberately between these two moods. The shift is the piece.
- Lock the syncopated rhythms early in rehearsal so they feel natural rather than tentative. Once your section leaders own the rhythmic drive, the whole band will settle into it.
- Let the orchestration sparkle by balancing your inner voices; the arrangement likely carries color and countermelody that gets buried under a heavy melodic line.
How to use it
This piece works beautifully as a concert opener or second selection, where its upbeat energy and accessibility can set a confident tone early. It also pairs well with more serious or introspective repertoire later in the program, providing textural contrast and reminding audiences why band music matters.
Skills your students will build
- Syncopated rhythm reading and execution in mixed meters
- Dynamic contrast and phrasing across legato and articulated styles
- Balancing melody with supporting harmonic voices
- Sustaining musical energy through rhythmically driven passages
- Responding to conductor interpretation of contrasting musical characters