Invasion of the Unicyclists: Concert Band, Conductor Score

Bright, whimsical, and fleet. The 6/8 meter creates a natural bounce, and Bennette's melodies have a folk-tune quality that feels both familiar and freshly imagined. There's humor in the title and lightness in the orchestration, making this a piece that invites audiences to smile without sacrificing musical substance.

Grade 3 concert bands preparing for contests, festivals, or concert programs seeking repertoire that's genuinely approachable without feeling simplified. Conductors working with mid-level ensembles will appreciate the absence of extreme technical demands, which frees rehearsal time for musical refinement rather than technical survival.

• Let the 6/8 meter breathe with a lilting lilt quality; avoid pushing the tempo into a heavy march feel. The meter itself carries the lightness.
• Balance the melodic voices across sections so the 'delectable melodies' stay in focus rather than getting buried under harmonic support. This scoring rewards transparency.
• Use the three-minute runtime as a model for pacing; this piece moves with purpose and energy without dragging, so maintain momentum through tempo consistency.
• Give the ensemble time in rehearsal to understand why these melodies are singable by actually singing them before playing them, which builds connection and intonation.

Open a concert or festival set with this piece; its bright energy and three-minute duration make it an excellent first impression and audience engagement tool. It also pairs well with more substantial works on the same program, offering contrast and breathing room in your concert arc.

• Conducting and performing in 6/8 meter with proper subdivision and rhythmic clarity
• Balancing melody and accompaniment voices across a full band score
• Maintaining intonation and blend across sustained harmonic progressions
• Interpreting articulation and phrasing to support melodic content