Fortify: Score
By Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Grade: 1
Item: 98-DB1884S
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Description
Guards at the ready! Time to fortify the castle! Use your courage and power for good! This powerful, medieval-inspired work juxtaposes physical strength and inner strength through contrasting marcato and legato sections. The rhythmic energy that continues throughout is sure to energize your students! (1:45)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Fortify: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Beginning Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DB1884S
More about this title
About the Composer: Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Katie O'Hara LaBrie brings fifteen years of orchestra teaching experience from Fairfax County, Virginia, to her work as a composer, conductor, and clinician. She holds degrees from St. Olaf College (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) and George Mason University (Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting), where she studied with Steven Amundson and Anthony Maiello respectively.
Why we love this
LaBrie understands what beginning band students need: music that energizes without overwhelming, with clear contrasts that teach articulation and phrasing through direct musical experience. The medieval narrative hooks young players while the marcato and legato interplay builds genuine musicianship at Grade 1, and the rhythmic drive keeps energy high without requiring technical gymnastics.
What to expect
A castle comes alive with purposeful action. Physical strength and quiet resolve trade places in sharp relief, with marcato passages that cut through like armor and legato sections that reveal something deeper. The steady rhythmic momentum pulls listeners forward, creating energy that feels earned rather than artificial.
Who it's for
Beginning band students in Grade 1 who are ready to tackle contrasting articulation styles and thematic development. This works equally well for first-year ensembles building confidence or established beginner groups seeking programming material with genuine musical substance.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the marcato sections with crisp, intentional articulation from the entire ensemble; think of guards standing at attention rather than just staccato notes.
- Let the legato passages breathe and bloom; the contrast between sections will feel most powerful when the softer moments have genuine warmth and connection.
- Maintain steady pulse through the rhythmic energy; consider tapping the fundamental beat during sectional rehearsals so brass and woodwind parts lock together cleanly.
- Balance the narrative arc: build intensity through repeated rhythmic figures rather than rushing, allowing the musical story of inner and outer strength to unfold naturally.
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or mid-set energizer at festival performances and school concerts. The medieval theme pairs naturally with historical units in interdisciplinary learning, and at 1:45, it fits cleanly into almost any concert structure while giving your beginning band a substantial moment in the spotlight.
Skills your students will build
- Contrast between marcato and legato articulation within a single piece
- Sustained rhythmic energy across phrase structures
- Dynamic control and ensemble balance in thematically driven sections
- Narrative musicianship: how compositional choices tell a story