Emblazoned: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 2.5
Item: 00-PK-0008778
$75.00
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Description
As the title Emblazoned suggests, this euphoric celebration will undoubtedly make its mark on your students and audience! Simple polyrhythms combine with an engaging melody, heroic countermelodies, and riveting percussion writing to create an energetic yet exceptionally playable work. Even better, Brian Balmages has orchestrated the piece so that it achieves a high level of power and excitement while leaving students with plenty left in the tank! (3:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Emblazoned: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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:
MakeMusic Young Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PK-0008778
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 spanning from professional orchestras to school bands in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association. His composition Love and Light won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest.
Balmages maintains an active conducting schedule with all-state ensembles, university orchestras, and professional groups worldwide. He has guest conducted at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous national conferences. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, and he has received commissions from major institutions including the University of Miami. Currently, he serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages has engineered genuine excitement without exhausting your ensemble. The polyrhythmic undercurrent and heroic countermelodies generate forward momentum, yet the orchestration ensures your students stay engaged rather than overwhelmed. At Grade 2.5, this piece offers genuine musical substance while remaining accessible to developing bands.
What to expect
Emblazoned radiates celebration and triumph. The euphoric melodic content pairs with driving percussion and heroic countermelodies to create an infectious momentum that propels from first note to final gesture without losing musical substance.
Who it's for
Grade 2.5 concert bands seeking a high-energy contest or festival piece that delivers impact without creating burnout. Directors will appreciate music that sounds ambitious while remaining within reach of developing ensembles.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the simple polyrhythms carefully in rehearsal by isolating each rhythmic layer separately, then bringing them together gradually. This reveals the piece's architecture rather than creating muddiness.
- Give the percussion section room to shine; the writing for this family is a primary driver of the piece's energy and polish.
- Maintain consistent articulation across the ensemble during the engaging melody sections to ensure the heroic countermelodies land with full impact.
- Build intensity gradually from the opening rather than starting at full volume. The euphoric quality emerges from controlled dynamic growth.
How to use it
This works effectively as a high-impact opener for concert or contest programming, immediately establishing energy and audience engagement. Pair it with a contrasting ballad or lyrical work to showcase your band's range and demonstrate the musicians can navigate both celebratory and introspective material.
Skills your students will build
- Executing simple polyrhythms while maintaining ensemble unity
- Articulating and balancing multiple melodic lines occurring simultaneously
- Interpreting dynamic shaping to build climactic tension
- Responding to and executing percussion-driven ensemble cues
- Reading and interpreting score markings that convey character and energy