Equus: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Eric Whitacre
Grade: 5
Item: 35-PK01106796
$225.00
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Description
A wild ride from the composer of October and Ghost Train! Equus is the Latin word for horse, and this moto perpetuo perfectly captures the fury and majesty of this magnificent animial. Commissioned by Gary Green and the University of Miami, Equus is not for the faint of heart! (Grade 5) Dur: 10:00. Optional choral parts also available.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01106796
More about this title
About the Composer: Eric Whitacre
Eric Whitacre stands among the most performed living composers, with a gift for writing music that connects immediately with both performers and audiences. His catalog spans choral works, orchestral pieces, and band music that consistently balance technical sophistication with genuine emotional impact. Whitacre's compositions often draw inspiration from vivid imagery and natural phenomena, translating those visions into music that demands precision and musicality in equal measure.
Why we love this
Equus delivers the kind of relentless forward momentum that keeps an audience locked in for its entire ten minutes. The moto perpetuo texture gives your ensemble a clear, energizing goal, while the Grade 5 writing respects the intelligence of strong high school and college bands without unnecessary technical padding. It's the rare piece that builds genuine excitement through sheer compositional integrity rather than gimmickry.
What to expect
Equus captures something primal: the thundering power and unrestrained energy of a horse in full gallop. The perpetual motion texture mirrors that relentless forward drive, building an almost hypnotic intensity that sweeps the listener along. There is majesty here alongside the fury, a sense of witnessing something wild and untamed.
Who it's for
Strong Grade 5 bands seeking a showcase piece with genuine compositional substance will find exactly what they need in Equus. Directors building a concert program that demands attention and demonstrates their ensemble's technical chops should absolutely consider this one.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the perpetual motion texture early in rehearsals by isolating the rhythmic foundation with just percussion and low reeds or brass. This clarity makes the melodic and harmonic layers land with far greater impact.
- Shape dynamic arcs across longer musical phrases rather than treating each measure as its own unit. The energy of a galloping horse comes from building momentum, not from static volume.
- Balance the optional choral parts carefully if you include them; they should enhance rather than overwhelm the instrumental writing that forms the piece's core.
How to use it
Place Equus strategically within your concert as a moment of high drama and kinetic energy; it works particularly well as the centerpiece of a concert or as a powerful closer that leaves the audience energized. Pair it with contrasting repertoire that allows this piece's intensity to shine without fatigue.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining consistent rhythmic pulse through extended moto perpetuo texture
- Balancing multiple simultaneous melodic lines while maintaining harmonic clarity
- Building and controlling dynamic intensity across longer musical spans
- Ensemble precision in fast-moving figurations across the full band