Eternal Flame: Concert Band Conductor Score

$15.00 USD

Eternal Flame: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Eternal Flame: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51000S
Price: 15.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 4.5

Item: 00-51000S

$15.00

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One moment…

This thrilling and majestic overture by Brian Balmages pays homage to the only eternal flame memorial in the United States dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. Subtle nods to "America" remind the listener of the incredible sacrifices made by these brave individuals. While the piece is not overtly patriotic, the olympic-style fanfares and stately themes make it more than suitable for such an occasion! (5:40)

Recorded sound courtesy of the U. S . Marine Band®. Use of the recorded sound does not constitute or imply endorsement by the Department of Defense, U.S . Marine Corps, or U. S. Marine Band®.

The terms U.S . Marine Band® and "The President's Own®" are trademarks of the U.S . Marine Corps, used with permission.

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Series: MakeMusic Symphonic Band

Publisher: MakeMusic Publications

ISBN10: 1-4706-6519-0

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6519-7

UPC: 038081583426

SKU: 00-51000S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built a career composing across orchestral, band, and chamber idioms, with performances at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. His accolades include the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light, and membership in the American Bandmasters Association. He has conducted at major conferences and institutions worldwide, from all-state ensembles to professional orchestras.

Balmages holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Miami, and was honored with JMU's inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award. His music has been commissioned for significant occasions, including the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden, and the inauguration of the University of Miami's sixth president. Currently, he serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

This is the kind of concert overture that gives a band something genuine to play for rather than generic pageantry. Balmages crafts Olympic-style fanfares and stately themes that honor Medal of Honor recipients without resorting to bombast, while subtle quotations of "America" ground the piece in meaningful context. At Grade 4.5, the orchestration sits exactly where advanced high school and college bands thrive: substantial enough to challenge, accessible enough to prepare in a semester.

What to expect

Majestic yet reflective, this overture opens with olympian grandeur before settling into moments of quiet dignity. The piece breathes with the gravity of a memorial, using fanfare and theme to evoke both heroism and reverence without veering into sentimentality.

Who it's for

Advanced high school and college concert bands preparing festival or concert performances that honor service and sacrifice. Directors seeking Grade 4.5 repertoire with genuine programmatic weight will find this overture especially valuable for students ready to play with maturity beyond their technical level.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the fanfare sections so brass nobility emerges without drowning the woodwind countermelodies that thread throughout the piece.
Shape the stately themes with clear phrase architecture; these memorial moments demand restraint and deliberate pacing rather than aggressive forward momentum.
Listen closely to the recorded U.S. Marine Band performance provided with the conductor score to internalize the majestic character Balmages envisioned.
Use the 5:40 duration as rehearsal planning anchor; the piece requires stamina and sustained musicality across its full span.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece for a concert honoring veterans, civic leaders, or significant anniversaries. The piece also works powerfully as an opening statement for a festival performance, setting a serious artistic tone before lighter or more diverse repertoire follows.

Skills your students will build

Balancing contrapuntal voices within the woodwind section during sustained harmonic passages
Shaping long thematic lines with architectural clarity across entire phrases
Reading and executing quick dynamic and articulation changes that support programmatic narrative
Ensemble precision in fanfare sections requiring rhythmic unity across the full band
Sustaining focused, reverent tone quality through extended passages marked by restraint