El Toro: Flute
By Chris M. Bernotas
Grade: 1.5 (Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0017436_F1
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Description
Each year in July in the city of Pamplona, Spain, hundreds of people participate in the running of the bulls, which precedes the daily bullfights during the Fiesta de San Fermin. "El Toro" (The Bull) is an exciting piece with a Spanish flair that has moments of harmonic tension and drama with strong melodies and countermelodies. An exciting way to explore 3/4 time, tension-and-release, and hemiolas, students can imagine the adrenaline of the run and the celebrations of the fiesta as they perform this tune. ¡Olé! (2:20) (Correlates to Sound Innovations, Book 2, Level 3.) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, El Toro: Flute comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Sound Innovations for Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
254
SKU:
00-PC-0017436_F1
More about this title
About the Composer: Chris M. Bernotas
Chris M. Bernotas directs instrumental publications at Alfred Music, where he shapes band and orchestra resources used in programs across the globe. His 25 years in music education inform every composition he writes; classroom experience with students at all levels translates directly into music that teaches while it engages.
Beyond the printed page, Bernotas is active as a guest conductor and clinician, leading honor ensembles and workshops for directors seeking fresh approaches to their programs. He has co-authored pedagogical resources including the Sound Innovations series, Sound Artistry, and Sound Performance. His work as both composer and educator reflects a deep commitment to creating repertoire that develops musicianship while remaining accessible to young ensembles.
Why we love this
Bernotas captures the visceral excitement of a cultural moment (the San Fermín festival) without resorting to cheap effects. The Spanish vocabulary, strong melodies, and deliberate use of hemiolas and harmonic tension give students real musical work to do while keeping the energy high enough that they'll want to play it again. At Grade 1.5, this lands exactly where most bands need accessible concert material with genuine substance.
What to expect
The running of the bulls comes alive through surging rhythms and Spanish color that alternates between celebration and tension. You hear the crowd, feel the adrenaline, and experience the drama of the moment through strong melodic writing and the push-pull of harmonic release.
Who it's for
Grade 1.5 concert bands preparing festival or contest repertoire, or any ensemble looking for a rhythmically engaging piece that introduces mixed meters and harmonic complexity without overwhelming players. This works equally well in a young band seeking musical substance or an intermediate group wanting exciting programming that builds conducting skills.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the natural momentum of 3/4 time; resist dragging the pulse even in moments of harmonic density. Let the waltz lilt drive the narrative forward.
- Mark the hemiola figures in rehearsal so every section recognizes where their rhythm departs from the main pulse. These moments create the adrenaline you're after.
- Balance the strong melodies against countermelodies by conducting with clarity and dynamic restraint. A crowded sound undermines the dramatic tension the piece builds.
- Lean into the Spanish character through articulation and phrasing; crisp, defined releases on staccato figures contrast with legato lines to shape the fiesta's energy.
How to use it
Program this early in a concert to establish energy and cultural breadth, or place it as a crowd-pleasing finale that showcases what your students have learned about rhythmic precision and style. It pairs well in a Latin-themed concert segment or festival performance where you want to demonstrate both musicality and technical growth.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing in 3/4 time with consistent pulse
- Recognizing and executing hemiola rhythmic patterns
- Understanding harmonic tension and release as structural tools
- Balancing melody and countermelody textures
- Performing with stylistic nuance and cultural awareness