Festival of Lights: Concert Band Conductor Score

Marlatt's homage to his influences (Cheetham, Chance, Reed) never feels derivative because the original material drives the piece forward. The Grade 3 accessibility combined with jazz-tinged harmonies and driving rhythms gives bands something energetic that doesn't talk down to them.

Festival of Lights pulses with celebratory momentum, from driving rhythmic sections to expansive melodic lines that soar with warmth. The incorporation of quotations and jazz harmonies creates a piece that feels contemporary in spirit while honoring the concert band's classic traditions.

This conductor score is ideal for groups seeking a concert opener or closer with genuine energy and stylistic variety. Bands at the Grade 3 level will find material that respects their developing musicianship while offering orchestration and harmonic sophistication that rewards careful rehearsal.

• Maintain precision in the rhythmic figures that give the piece its propulsive character; even slight rushes in the sections with driving accompaniment will blur the forward momentum.
• Balance the soaring lyrical themes so they sing without overwhelming the ensemble, especially when layered against busier harmonic textures.
• Let the jazz-influenced harmonies breathe in sustained passages; resist the urge to force them into a classical weight.

Program this as an energizing concert opener to set an upbeat tone, or place it in the second half of a program where its stylistic contrasts will stand out against more traditional fare. The piece works equally well as a seasonal celebration or as part of a program highlighting contemporary band composition.

• Precision in ensemble rhythm while maintaining stylistic forward motion
• Balancing lyrical phrasing against active harmonic accompaniment
• Navigating jazz-influenced harmonic language and sonorities