His Excellency: Conductor Score

His Excellency showcases Fillmore's gift for steering familiar harmonic territory into unexpected places without alienating players or audiences. The modern edition respects the original character while offering clarity in articulation and dynamics that conductors need for clean ensemble execution at this level.

Energetic and spirited, with a vintage concert band personality that feels both familiar and slightly surprising. The harmonic turns catch the ear without disorienting the ensemble, and the melodic lines invite confident, straightforward playing.

Intermediate and advancing concert bands (high school, college, and community ensembles) looking for accessible yet musically rewarding concert material. Conductors seeking Grade 4 repertoire that commands attention without programming exclusively twenty-first-century works will find this a solid choice.

• Balance the melody across sections. Fillmore's harmonic surprises land best when the principal voice emerges clearly, so clarify which instruments carry the tune at each turn and adjust surrounding voices accordingly.
• Shape phrases with the dynamic markings. The score's careful articulation and dynamic markings are not decoration; they're essential to the composition's rhythmic and harmonic shape, so observe them faithfully.
• Secure rhythmic unity before worrying about tempo. The articulations and unexpected harmonic moves demand precise ensemble alignment, so lock the rhythm section and ensure all sections land together on the marked accents.

Pair this with contemporary works or other heritage pieces in a concert exploring how the concert band tradition has evolved. It works equally well as a second or third item on a program, where its melodic warmth and moderate technical demands provide engaging contrast to heavier or more contemporary selections.

• Reading and executing varied articulation styles across band sections
• Responding to unexpected harmonic movement while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Balancing sustained harmonic backgrounds against moving melodic lines
• Interpreting dynamic and accent markings to shape phrase contour