First We Dream: Concert Band Conductor Score

The architecture here is smart: a fanfare opens things cleanly, then Morales lets the percussion section become the real heartbeat of the piece rather than relegating it to timekeeping. Modern rhythmic language and popular music textures make this Grade 3 work feel contemporary without sacrificing musical substance, so your students engage with a score that sounds like today while building traditional ensemble skills.

From the first bright fanfare, this piece radiates confidence and forward momentum. The interplay between modern rhythmic figures and expansive melodic themes creates a sense of discovery, while the driving percussion section keeps everything moving with unstoppable pulse and color.

Concert bands at the Grade 3 level looking for repertoire with contemporary energy and substantial percussion writing. Directors seeking pieces that work equally well in festival settings and concert performances will find the technical demands appropriately scaled for intermediate ensembles.

• Balance the percussion carefully during rehearsals. Mark which winds carry the primary line in each section so the large percussion complement doesn't overwhelm the melodic material.
• Lock into the modern rhythmic vocabulary early. If your ensemble struggles with syncopation or cross-rhythms, isolate those sections and sing the patterns before adding instrumental color.
• Shape the fanfare opening with deliberate attack and release. The clarity of that gesture sets the tone for everything that follows and gives your audience an immediate sense of confidence.
• Spotlight the ending's rhythmic statement in final rehearsals. Let students hear how the full ensemble weight creates the 'powerful' effect the score asks for without rushing the tempo.

Open a concert or festival round with this work to grab immediate attention; its exuberant character makes it an excellent first impression. You might also program it alongside more traditional Grade 3 repertoire to show your ensemble's stylistic range and contemporary sensibility.

• Balancing melodic lines against prominent percussion accompaniment
• Reading and executing modern rhythmic figures and syncopation
• Executing crisp fanfare articulation and phrasing
• Responding to dynamic contrast and sectional weight distribution
• Coordinating ensemble rhythm across mixed meters and rhythmic profiles