La Serpiente: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
(The Snake)
By Michael Story
Grade: 1
Item: 00-PK-0009124
$55.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| La Serpiente: Score | $10.00 | |
| La Serpiente: Flute | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: Oboe | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 1st B-flat Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: B-flat Bass Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: E-flat Alto Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: B-flat Tenor Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: E-flat Baritone Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 1st B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 1st F Horn | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 1st Trombone | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: Baritone T.C. | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: Tuba | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: Mallets | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 1st Percussion | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 2nd Percussion | $3.00 | |
| La Serpiente: 3rd Percussion | $3.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Open your next concert with this energetic Spanish-flavored piece from composer Michael Story. Featuring bold melodies and colorful harmonies, La Serpiente (The Snake) will evoke images of Flamenco dancers and bullfights. With a variety of instrumental colors and dynamic contrasts, the piece will also serve as a worthy introduction to the Spanish Phrygian scale. (1:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, La Serpiente: 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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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Beginning Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PK-0009124
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Story
Michael Story is a prolific composer and arranger whose catalog spans concert band, jazz ensemble, and instrumental solo literature. His writing for young ensembles combines accessibility with genuine musical substance, earning him a place among the most frequently performed composers in beginning and intermediate band programs.
Why we love this
Story crafts opening pieces that actually sound like concert openers. La Serpiente delivers rhythmic drive and orchestral color without sacrificing pedagogical clarity, and the Phrygian scale exposure feels organic rather than imposed. Your band will leave the stage energized, and your audience will hear a piece that sounds prepared and professional.
What to expect
Vibrant and theatrical. La Serpiente conjures the swagger of Spanish flamenco through bold melodic phrases and warm harmonic colors, building momentum with each phrase until the energy becomes infectious. The orchestration sparkles with instrumental variety while staying grounded in rhythm and pulse.
Who it's for
Beginning concert bands (Grade 1 ensembles) performing their first formal concerts or competing in festivals. The piece fits bands comfortable with fundamental ensemble technique but hungry for repertoire with real personality and programmatic appeal.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the bold melodic statements between the upper woodwinds and brass. The piece's Spanish character thrives when both sections shine equally rather than one overwhelming the other.
- Shape the dynamic contrasts deliberately. This programmatic work builds cumulative energy, so treat each peak differently to maintain the audience's sense of motion toward the final flourish.
- Secure the rhythmic precision early in rehearsals. The energetic pacing is forgiving only when every section locks together; sloppy intonation or wavering time will muddy the flamenco spirit.
How to use it
Open a fall or spring concert with this piece to grab audience attention immediately. Its tight duration (1:30) and contest-appropriate energy make it ideal for festival competitions where first impressions matter. The programmatic title and vivid imagery also work well in thematic concerts exploring world music or cultural traditions.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing in the Phrygian scale
- Responding to programmatic musical imagery through phrasing and dynamics
- Ensemble balance and blend across woodwind and brass sections
- Rhythmic precision and ensemble cohesion at a brisk tempo
- Understanding of Spanish musical idioms and color