Heroes Among Us: String Bass
By Gary Fagan
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PC-0018765_SB
$3.00
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Description
Heroes Among Us by Gary Fagan is an original overture-style work for string orchestra that was inspired by the many people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure many school children who could not go to school received at least two hot meals each day throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. School bus drivers and cafeteria workers put in long hours to prepare meals and deliver them to students who otherwise may have gone hungry during the week. While teachers, nurses, doctors, etc. received accolades during the months when schools were out of session, many adults stepped in to take care of other necessities to ensure the well-being of the students they served. (3:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Heroes Among Us: String Bass 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:
Belwin Concert String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PC-0018765_SB
More about this title
About the Composer: Gary Fagan
Gary Fagan is a Virginia-based composer and educator whose works have been performed at prestigious venues including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the White House, and gubernatorial ceremonies. He earned his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Bridgewater College and completed a master's degree at James Madison University, where he later served as adjunct faculty teaching arranging.
Fagan spent 36 years directing bands in Albemarle County schools before transitioning to university supervision at JMU. His contributions to music education have earned him recognition as Central Virginia's Outstanding Middle School Teacher, an Outstanding Educator Award from the Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts, and citations in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. Active as a clinician, adjudicator, and performer, he holds memberships in ASCAP, the National Band Association, and Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity.
Why we love this
This overture captures something often overlooked in school music programming: the quiet heroism of support staff who sustained our schools when everything shut down. Fagan's orchestration balances accessibility at Grade 3 with genuine musical substance, making it rewarding for both developing orchestras and audiences. The piece works equally well as a concert opener or festival selection because it combines structural clarity with emotional authenticity.
What to expect
Uplifting and earnest without sentimentality, the piece builds on the familiar energy of a concert overture while maintaining a genuine warmth. The orchestration sparkles when all parts align, capturing both the collective strength of those behind the scenes and moments of individual reflection.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the intermediate level, particularly those seeking repertoire with meaningful context and emotional depth. Directors looking to program music that resonates with student and audience experiences will find this work speaks directly to their community's recent history.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish a steady pulse from the opening and maintain it throughout; the overture form relies on clear phrasing anchored to a consistent tempo.
- Balance the melodic lines across sections so that the story unfolds clearly rather than getting lost in full-orchestra textures.
- Shape phrase endings with subtle dynamic tapering to avoid square, choppy conclusions.
How to use it
Open a concert or festival performance with this piece to set a thoughtful, community-minded tone. Its three-and-a-half-minute length makes it ideal for programming alongside longer works, and the Grade 3 level ensures most orchestras can prepare it without excessive rehearsal time while still delivering a polished performance.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining open string textures with consistent tone and intonation
- Balancing accompaniment and melodic roles within a full orchestral texture
- Shaping multi-section overture form with clear phrase architecture
- Responding to conductor cues in a moderately complex score with independent instrumental lines