Homeward Bound: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Words and music by Marta Keen / vocal arrangement by Jay Althouse, instrumental arrangement by Brant Karrick
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0001819
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Description
"Homeward Bound" is one of the most popular and widely-performed contemporary choral pieces. This heartfelt piece is elegant in its simplicity and has touched thousands of musicians and their audiences with its warmth and sincerity. Additionally, it has become the anthem for many soldiers returning home. Create a stirring moment for combined band and choir using this exquisite new setting for concert band. Choral arrangements available for SATB (00-7845), SAB (00-16209), SSA (00-7846), 2-Part (00-35647), and TBB (00-20098). (3:40) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Homeward Bound: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
130
SKU:
00-PK-0001819
More about this title
About the Composer: Marta Keen
Marta Keen has established herself as a composer whose work resonates with both musicians and audiences, particularly through pieces that carry emotional weight without sacrificing accessibility. Her compositions demonstrate a gift for melody and harmonic clarity, making her writing especially valuable in educational settings where sincerity matters as much as technique.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures what makes the original choral piece resonate so deeply, then recasts it for a medium that allows you to involve your entire ensemble in a single, unified performance. The Grade 2 orchestration keeps the focus on melody and emotional clarity rather than technical complexity, making it accessible for developing musicians while maintaining the piece's genuine power.
What to expect
Warm and reflective, with a quiet dignity that builds naturally from simplicity. The piece unfolds like a conversation between instruments and voices, each reinforcing the other's sincerity without sentimentality.
Who it's for
Bands with strong choral relationships or those looking to create a combined performance for concert or festival contexts. Directors working with musicians at the Grade 2 level who want to tackle a piece with genuine emotional maturity without requiring advanced technical skills.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the band sonority so that when the choir enters, their voices cut through without drowning in the instrumental texture. Test different dynamic levels in rehearsal to find the sweet spot where both ensembles support each other.
- Work on phrase breathing between band and chorus sections separately before combining them. Each group will have different natural breath points, and coordinating them takes intentional rehearsal time.
- Shape the piece through dynamic contour rather than holding a single level. This piece earns its emotional weight through subtle swells and gentle recessions, not dramatic contrasts.
How to use it
This works beautifully as a finale or second-half opener on a concert, especially one celebrating community or transitions. Its connection to military personnel returning home also makes it particularly meaningful for Veterans Day programs or military appreciation events.
Skills your students will build
- Blending concert band sonorities with choral tone
- Maintaining musical balance across two separate ensembles
- Sustaining lyrical phrasing over longer phrases
- Following a conductor through combined ensemble coordination
- Responding to dynamic subtlety as an expressive tool