Images of Ireland: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$80.00 USD

Images of Ireland: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Images of Ireland: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1239
Price: 80.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 2

Item: 98-B1239

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Explore the history and culture of Ireland in this exciting new work. Based on three Irish songs (Sweet William, Star of County Down, and The Minstrel Boy), this piece mixes the authentic sounds of Ireland with the innovative scoring and compositional techniques of Brian Balmages. Complete with drones and a coda reminiscent of Irish dance music, you will want to look closely at this outstanding work!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Images of Ireland: 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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Series: FJH Young Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398215324

SKU: 98-B1239

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor equally comfortable across orchestral, band, and chamber music contexts. His works have been heard in spaces ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles from professional orchestras to elementary school groups. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, along with winning the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light.

Beyond composition, Balmages maintains an active conducting schedule with all-state and regional ensembles, university orchestras, and professional bands worldwide. His music appeared in the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic, and holds the distinction of Distinguished Alumni Award from James Madison University's School of Visual and Performing Arts.

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Why we love this

Balmages anchors this arrangement in genuine Irish melodies while bringing his signature modern compositional voice to the band repertoire. The scoring balances accessibility at Grade 2 with sophisticated harmonic choices and textural layers that keep experienced players engaged. Few Grade 2 works offer both cultural substance and genuine musical interest for the full ensemble.

What to expect

The work captures the spirited character of Irish folk traditions while honoring the melodies that have endured for generations. Traditional drones and harmonic language ground the piece in authentic sound, while the coda propels listeners into the kinetic energy of Irish dance.

Who it's for

Young bands with solid fundamentals looking to program repertoire beyond standard grade school fare. Directors seeking culturally rich music that engages students without requiring advanced technical skills will find this particularly valuable.

How to get the most out of it

Pay attention to the drone sections; they anchor the harmonic language and should be steady and resonant without overwhelming the melody lines above them.
The three source melodies carry distinctly different characters, so shape each one according to its traditional origins rather than treating them uniformly.
The coda's Irish dance music idiom needs rhythmic vitality and precision; lock the articulations in the accompaniment figures so the dance character emerges naturally.

How to use it

Place this on a multicultural concert celebrating global music traditions, or use it as a lighter moment in a festival setting to showcase your band's musicality without technical demands. It pairs naturally with other folk-based or world music arrangements in a thematic program.