Invictus: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Invictus: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1002S
Price: 18.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 5

Item: 98-B1002S

$18.00

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A serious concert or festival piece, Invictus was written in memory of the composer's grandfather and based on a poem of the same title by William Ernest Henley. This extensive, emotional composition will thrill performers and audiences alike with interesting effects and textures. A new musical masterpiece! (9:40)

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Series: FJH Symphonic Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444454282

SKU: 98-B1002S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal fluency. His works have been performed by professional orchestras, university ensembles, and school bands at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light.

Balmages holds alumni status from both James Madison University, where he received the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts, and the University of Miami, which commissioned him to compose for the inauguration of its 6th president. His music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. As a conductor, he maintains regular engagements with all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide, with notable appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and College Band Directors Conference. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages brings genuine emotional weight to this contest piece without sacrificing accessibility. The nine-minute arc feels substantial and rewarding for a Grade 5 ensemble, and the orchestration offers enough textural variety and expressive opportunity that both advanced and developing ensembles find genuine performance challenges worth solving.

What to expect

Invictus carries the weight of its memorial origins; the music moves through contemplative passages and moments of quiet intensity, building toward genuine emotional expression. The extended length and careful orchestration create an immersive experience that asks the ensemble to commit fully to its lyrical and dramatic arc.

Who it's for

Directors seeking a substantial Grade 5 contest or festival piece that engages serious musicians without requiring virtuosic technique. This work suits ensembles ready to handle longer formal structures and nuanced dynamic control, and appeals to performers who respond to music written with personal conviction.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the lyrical passages with phrase continuity across section breaks; Balmages builds emotional momentum through long melodic arcs rather than dramatic articulation.
Attend to the dynamic landscape carefully, as the interesting textures depend on precise balance between solo lines and supporting voices.
Use tempo relationships between sections as interpretive anchors; Balmages likely marked transitions for musical reason, and observing those distinctions clarifies the architecture.
Allow the band time to settle into the emotional character established early; this piece rewards ensemble maturity and focused listening rather than external gesture.

How to use it

This substantial work serves as an excellent centerpiece for a contest program or as the closing selection on a concert where you want to leave the audience with something resonant and substantial. Its nine-minute duration means it functions best as a standalone feature rather than paired with multiple other extended works.