Flourishes!: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Owens knows how to launch a concert with unmistakable energy without exhausting your front section before the main event. The bold opening grabs attention immediately, but the lush harmonic writing that follows gives your ensemble room to breathe and showcase tonal color. At 2.5/3 difficulty, it sits in that sweet spot where players feel challenged but not overwhelmed, making it rewarding for both developing and intermediate bands.

A banner unfurling. The piece opens with declarative boldness that commands a room, then settles into warm, flowing harmonies that feel substantial without being heavy. Energy and lushness trade off throughout, keeping audiences engaged from the downbeat.

Grade 2.5 and 3 concert bands looking for a concert opener with substance. This works for groups developing ensemble cohesion and rhythmic precision, as well as bands preparing for festival or contest.

• Establish the tempo with clarity in rehearsal; the spirited character depends on dancers feeling the pulse with confidence, not rushing through the opening fanfare.
• Balance the driving rhythms in the middle section by having your middle voices lock in before the full ensemble plays together. Those inner harmonies carry the piece.
• Shape the lush passages with dynamic contrast. Don't settle for middle-ground volume here; commit to the swells and let the tonal colors breathe.

Open your concert or festival performance with this; it establishes momentum and leaves your players fresh for deeper works later in the program. Use it in the first half of a mixed program to set a confident tone before tackling more demanding repertoire.

• Ensemble balance and blend across a full band texture
• Dynamic shape and phrasing in lyrical sections
• Rhythmic precision at moderate tempos
• Sectional independence while maintaining unified sound