Exaltation: Brass Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Exaltation opens a concert with immediate impact. Each voice gets substantial material that demands both technical precision and musical maturity, making this quintessential brass five-part writing that rewards ensemble players while showcasing what the group can do. Its performance history at the 1999 International Trombone Festival signals it belongs in progressive repertoire.

Exaltation announces itself with energy and purpose. The writing creates dialogue among voices that feels alive and conversational, with moments of brightness and others of harmonic depth. The piece demands focused attention and unified ensemble conception, rewarding groups with the kind of polished, ensemble-focused sound that builds audience excitement.

Brass quintets at the intermediate-to-advanced level (Grade 5) looking for repertoire that challenges technique without requiring virtuosic fireworks from every player. Conductors programming concert openers that make a strong first impression while offering each section meaningful musical responsibility. Ensemble members wanting to develop independence within a small group setting.

• Balance the two trumpet parts so neither overshadows the other; they function as partners rather than solo and accompaniment, especially in passages where they move independently.
• Give the horn player room to breathe between phrases. This middle voice often carries harmonic weight and needs clarity to prevent getting buried beneath the louder brass.
• Lock the trombone and tuba articulation from the outset. Their rhythmic foundation determines how the trumpets and horn sit on top, so establish that anchor in sectional rehearsals first.
• Listen for spots where individual lines become exposed. Grade 5 players need confidence in sixteenth-note figures and modal passages, so isolate those sections in rehearsal before running full texture.

Program this as a concert opener to establish your ensemble's musicianship and control immediately. Its Grade 5 difficulty makes it substantive enough to hold the program's opening slot without feeling like a warm-up. The quintet format also offers programming flexibility, allowing you to scale between small and larger ensemble pieces for variety within a single concert.

• Independent melodic lines within a five-part brass texture
• Balancing ensemble sound across multiple dynamic levels
• Precision articulation and rhythmic alignment in a small ensemble
• Harmonic awareness and voice leading in modal or chromatic passages
• Stamina and breath control appropriate to Grade 5 technical demands