Fanfare for 'Our Time': Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Grant understands exactly what a Grade 2 band needs in an opener: an arrangement that captures genuine excitement without leaving your ensemble gassed. The writing sits comfortably across all sections, which means your students can focus on ensemble blend and rhythmic precision rather than wrestling with range or coordination. It checks the contest box while functioning as the kind of crowd-pleasing opener that sets the right tone for a full concert program.

Bright, propulsive, and genuinely celebratory. The piece moves forward with the momentum of a brass-driven declaration, confident and uncluttered. You can feel the optimism the composer intended without any heavy lifting, this is music that sounds like an achievement feels.

Grade 2 concert bands preparing festival or contest programs, or any ensemble that needs a confident, high-energy opener. Directors seeking contest repertoire that doesn't demand advanced technique or extensive rehearsal time will find this particularly useful. It works equally well for anniversary celebrations and general concert programming.

• Balance the brass fanfare declarations with the woodwind answers. These back-and-forth sections define the piece, so make sure both colors carry equal weight and clarity.
• Keep the tempo steady and driving without rushing. The energy comes from precision and confidence in the pulse, not from accelerating.
• Shape each phrase as if it were a proclamation. Even short figures benefit from a small swell at the beginning and a taper at the end.
• Let the rhythm section anchor the piece completely. Their groove gives permission for the upper voices to breathe and phrase freely within the pulse.

Open a contest or festival program with this fanfare to set an energetic tone and demonstrate your ensemble's control and communication. It pairs well with a contrasting middle selection, leaving room for a substantial closer. Alternatively, position it early in a concert program to reset the room's energy after a lengthy intermission.

• Balancing full ensemble sound while maintaining individual voice clarity
• Executing quick section transitions and answering phrases with rhythmic precision
• Sustaining consistent tempo and pulse in a driving, energetic context
• Phrasing within a march-like rhythmic framework
• Reading and executing fanfare figures across all instrument families