Dragonfly: Tuba
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 1
Item: 98-PC-DB1092_TB1
$7.00
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Description
The dragonflies will be buzzing around your concert stage when you select this wonderful piece for your concert program. Ideal to strengthen brass players and teach some elementary ear training, the brass are featured playing the melodic line on mouthpieces. The woodwinds and percussion provide a full background before the brass rejoin the group playing on their instruments through the final half of the piece. An excellent teaching tool. (1:40)
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Beginning Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1092_TB1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal fluency. His works have been performed by ensembles ranging from professional symphony orchestras to elementary school bands in major venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association.
Balmages has guest conducted at major conferences including the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and the College Band Directors Conference. His music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, and he has been commissioned by James Madison University and the University of Miami for significant occasions. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
The mouthpiece buzzing section is a brilliant pedagogical hook that holds Grade 1 players' attention while building embouchure strength and ear training in a musical context rather than as isolated exercises. The dramatic contrast between the mouthpiece feature and the full-band conclusion gives every section something to anticipate and keeps the piece from feeling one-dimensional.
What to expect
The piece captures the darting, energetic movement of dragonflies through bright orchestration and playful rhythmic figures. The mouthpiece buzzing creates an unexpected, buzzing texture that mirrors the insects' rapid flight, then resolves into a fuller, more settled conclusion as the brass rejoin on their instruments.
Who it's for
Grade 1 concert bands with developing brass sections looking for a piece that combines musical interest with tangible technical benefits. Directors seeking novelty material that disguises pedagogical work will find this especially valuable, as students engage with the whimsical character while strengthening fundamentals.
How to get the most out of it
- Rehearse the brass mouthpiece buzzing passage separately at first, establishing consistent pitch and rhythm before adding the woodwind and percussion accompaniment.
- Balance the woodwind and percussion background carefully during the buzzing section so the brass can hear their own pitch clearly without being overwhelmed.
- Mark a clear transition point where brass instruments return after the mouthpiece feature, ensuring players are ready to reenter with confidence and good tone quality.
- Use the buzzing section as an opportunity to discuss embouchure consistency and its effect on pitch control; players will hear directly how their technique affects the buzzing tone.
How to use it
Program this early in a concert to establish an engaging, light tone and draw audience attention with its unusual instrumentation. It works well alongside other Grade 1 novelty pieces or as a palette cleanser between more serious works, and its brevity (1:40) makes it ideal for filling programming gaps or providing a confidence-building moment for developing ensembles.
Skills your students will build
- Embouchure strength and control through sustained buzzing
- Pitch matching and intonation awareness without instruments
- Elementary listening and ear training to melodic line
- Breath support and control
- Ensemble balance and accompaniment texture