Hush: Concert Band Conductor Score

Calm and contemplative, like the moment when a room settles into darkness and quiet. The writing stays intimate and spare, creating space for listeners to breathe along with the performers.

Grade 2 concert bands that need accessible music for learning to play lyrically and expressively. Conductors seeking repertoire that builds musicianship fundamentals without overwhelming younger or less experienced ensembles work well here.

• Shape the phrase contours gently; let the lullaby's natural rise and fall guide your conducting rather than imposing strict metric strictness.
• Balance inner voices carefully so accompaniment figures support but never overshadow the primary melodic line.
• Resist the urge to take extra time. The piece's power comes from its unhurried simplicity, not from extreme rubato.
• Rehearse dynamics with sensitivity; soft playing at Grade 2 often needs attention to intonation and blend that faster passages do not demand.

Open a concert with this piece to establish a calm, focused atmosphere, or pair it with contrasting Grade 2 selections to demonstrate the full range of your ensemble's expressive capabilities. It also works beautifully as an encore or as part of a program exploring accessible lyrical writing across ability levels.

• Sustained tone production at soft dynamic levels
• Listening to blend and balance within the ensemble
• Shaping phrases through breath and direction rather than technique
• Reading and executing gentle dynamic gradations