Fiesta de los Toros: B-flat Tenor Saxophone
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 5
Item: 98-PC-DB1692_TX1
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Inspired by the fire, passion and drive of Latin music, this colorful work explores styles originating everywhere from Spain to Cuba. The music evokes images of the festivals, dances, and pure adrenaline associated with a culture known for its passion and intensity. Styles include an opening modified Salsa, a short Merengue interlude, a bold Paso Doble (featuring the percussion section), a delightfully scored Habanera, and a fiery Afro-Cuban section. Prepare to unleash the unabashed energy of your ensemble on stage!
Fiesta de los Toros: B-flat Tenor Saxophone isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
FJH Symphonic Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1692_TX1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor whose work reaches across orchestral, band, and chamber music spheres. His compositions have been heard in world-class venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles ranging from professional orchestras to school groups. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, along with the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest prize for Love and Light.
Balmages has conducted all-state and regional ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras internationally, with notable appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and the College Band Directors Conference. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, and he received the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Currently serving as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic, Balmages continues to compose and conduct at the highest levels of the profession.
Why we love this
Balmages captures the kinetic drive of Latin styles without relying on clichés or oversimplification. Each section (Salsa, Merengue, Paso Doble, Habanera, Afro-Cuban) serves the narrative arc rather than feeling like a medley, and the orchestration gives every section of the band a genuine voice. This is the kind of work that builds ensemble cohesion and reminds your students why they love playing together.
What to expect
Fiesta de los Toros pulses with unforced joy and rhythmic vitality. You move from the warm, swaying energy of the Habanera to the crisp precision of the Paso Doble and finally into the raw percussion-driven power of the Afro-Cuban finale, each transition sharpening the musical landscape.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 5 level seeking a piece with genuine multicultural substance and high entertainment value. Directors programming a festival or contest will find a work that showcases ensemble versatility while remaining within appropriate technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the percussion section early in rehearsals, especially the Paso Doble. The rhythmic foundation here determines whether the ensemble swings or feels stilted.
- Shape the Habanera with restraint. Its delightful scoring can easily tip into overplaying; let the voicing speak without excess dynamics.
- Maintain crisp articulation in the Salsa sections to preserve the bite of Latin style. Lazy attacks blur the character immediately.
- Harness the Afro-Cuban section's intensity gradually across the full ensemble; it earns its power through building momentum, not immediate fortissimo.
How to use it
This piece excels as a festival or contest selection, where its stylistic range and visceral impact command attention without overshadowing more introspective works on the program. It also pairs beautifully with other concert music in a full-length concert, serving as an energizing closer or a vibrant centerpiece that celebrates the ensemble's technical growth mid-season.
Skills your students will build
- Latin rhythm reading and performance (Salsa, Merengue, Habanera, Afro-Cuban styles)
- Rhythmic precision in syncopated passages
- Dynamic control across multiple tempo and style shifts
- Ensemble cohesion in percussion-driven sections
- Stylistic differentiation and musical character interpretation