Exoplanet: E-flat Alto Saxophone
By Timothy Loest
Grade: 0.5
Item: 00-PC-0019371_AX1
$3.00
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Description
Explore the cosmos and its trillions of exoplanets with this awe-inspiring work by Timothy Loest . Celestial themes, driving rhythms, and unforgettable percussion are sure to transport the wonders of the universe from outer space to your concert hall. Exoplanet is a standalone concert work that is equally suited for cross-curricular study. Dazzling, educational, and epic! (1:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Exoplanet: E-flat Alto Saxophone 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 First Performance Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PC-0019371_AX1
More about this title
About the Composer: Timothy Loest
Timothy Loest has spent over thirty years in the classroom developing a distinctive voice in band composition that balances artistic ambition with young musicians' abilities. His works circulate globally, and his influence extends through pedagogical collaborations on widely adopted method series and conducting appearances at state and national conferences. In 2017, his composition Cloud Gate drew an audience of over 5,000 at Chicago's Millennium Park, and that same year he received the Illinois Grade School Music Association's Cloyd Myers Memorial Award for Excellence in Music Education.
Loest's catalog spans decades of professional publishing with major houses including Warner Bros. Publications, C.L. Barnhouse Company, The FJH Music Company, and MakeMusic Publications. In 2022, he established Fanfare Music Press to produce compositions and arrangements for band at the highest standards. His concert and commercial work has aired on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, Extra, and Nick Jr. He holds degrees from Illinois State University and Northwestern University, maintains membership in ASCAP, and welcomes commissions for band through his website.
Why we love this
Loest crafts programmatic music that genuinely excites young musicians without sacrificing compositional craft. The cosmic theme invites students to connect sound to science, making this work natural for interdisciplinary programming, while the accessible Grade 0.5 writing keeps rhythmic and harmonic demands realistic for mid-level bands. The percussion writing is particularly engaging, giving rhythm section players moments that matter to the overall texture.
What to expect
Exoplanet captures the vastness and mystery of space through shimmering textures and bold rhythmic gestures that shift from contemplative to triumphant. The driving percussion and celestial orchestration create a sense of voyage and discovery, making abstract scientific wonder tangible for both performers and listeners.
Who it's for
Band directors leading groups at the Grade 0.5 level who want repertoire that engages students musically and intellectually. The work suits festival and contest settings, and because of its programmatic nature, it pairs well with science curricula or interdisciplinary concert themes.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the celestial themes across your woodwind and brass sections; these are not background textures but the heart of the cosmic storytelling.
- Let the driving rhythms establish forward momentum without rushing; lock your conductor's beat with the low brass and bass drums to anchor the ensemble.
- Shape the percussion features as solos within the ensemble context. They carry the wonder of the piece, so give them space to breathe and articulate clearly.
- Explore dynamic contrast between the quieter reflective passages and the more energetic sections; this piece rewards expressive conducting that mirrors the journey through space.
How to use it
Open a concert or festival performance with this piece to establish an imaginative, forward-thinking tone for your program. Consider pairing it with other works that explore nature or science themes, or program it as the anchor for a concert that brings band into conversation with your school's STEM curriculum.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing melodic lines across woodwind and brass sections in programmatic context
- Maintaining consistent rhythmic drive through sectional coordination
- Performing percussion features with confidence and clarity within ensemble texture
- Connecting musical content to extramusical narrative and scientific concepts