Juxtaposition: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Michael Oare
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00462911
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Description
In this dynamic and creative work, Michael Oare features a "juxtaposition" of various modes of "F" (major, mixolydian, and minor) as layers of sound are created with various textures and styles. A constant pulse center throughout serves as a unifying element, as the effect is at times unsettling, and other times simply powerful.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00462911
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Oare
Michael Oare studied composition and music education at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and has spent his career as both an educator and prolific composer. For 33 years he directed the bands at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia, where his programs earned superior ratings at the Virginia Concert Band Performance Assessment for 32 consecutive years, including a remarkable 30-year streak. Two of his works appear in GIA Publications' "Teaching Music Through Performance" series.
Oare remains deeply involved in music education as conductor of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Concert Band and as an active adjudicator and clinician. He holds memberships in ASCAP and Phi Beta Mu, performs with the Virginia Wind Symphony, and has received the Chesapeake Public Schools' Middle School Teacher of the Year award and two Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association.
Why we love this
Oare builds this piece around a genuinely inventive harmonic concept rather than relying on conventional progressions, giving your students something substantial to listen for and discuss. The constant pulse he establishes keeps everything anchored while the modal shifts create real textural interest, which means you can hold the sound together without sacrificing the music's edge.
What to expect
The piece hovers between stability and tension, with F major anchoring the ear before shifting into the darker minor and the floating quality of mixolydian. The constant pulse beneath everything creates a hypnotic effect that can feel unsettling one moment and cathartic the next.
Who it's for
Grade 3 concert bands ready to tackle harmonic language beyond diatonic writing. This work suits both festival and contest contexts where the compositional craft and textural clarity will impress adjudicators.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the pulse center as a structural anchor during sectional rehearsals; this tonal reference point keeps the modal shifts from feeling disjointed to individual players.
- Experiment with dynamic contrast between the major and minor passages to heighten the unsettling quality Oare intends; underplaying the shifts diminishes the compositional design.
- Balance the textural layers carefully so no single voice dominates; think of the modes as equal colors rather than foreground and background elements.
How to use it
Position this as a contest or festival selection where your band can demonstrate technical control and musical maturity; the compact Grade 3 difficulty makes it accessible while the harmonic sophistication elevates your program. It pairs well with more traditional repertoire as a contemporary centerpiece that shows your ensemble's range.
Skills your students will build
- Playing in multiple modes (major, mixolydian, minor) centered on F
- Maintaining a consistent pulse while harmonic content shifts beneath
- Shaping textural layers and managing dynamic balance across the ensemble
- Understanding modal relationships and how they create emotional color