Legend of the Nighthawk: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Swearingen understands exactly what a Grade 2 band can accomplish and what will excite both players and audiences. The percussion writing here is genuinely interesting without overshadowing the ensemble, and the structural arc from introspection to full-throttle energy keeps rehearsals engaging and gives you a piece that works equally well in festival rotation or as a concert closer.

The piece opens with quiet, searching character before igniting into driving forward motion. There's a moment of clever interplay between percussion and the band clapping together, creating a rhythmic conversation that feels playful and interactive before the music stacks layer upon layer toward a powerful, dramatic finish.

Grade 2 concert bands seeking contest or festival repertoire with genuine musical interest. The piece rewards young musicians who are developing tone quality and rhythmic independence while keeping technical demands manageable across the ensemble.

• Shape the lyrical opening with warm, sustained tone in the winds; this quiet section sets up the impact of the energy burst that follows and deserves the ensemble's best legit sound.
• Establish a rock-solid pulse when the piece "rockets forward" so the percussion section can lock in confidently during the call-and-response passages with ensemble clapping.
• Build the final climactic section deliberately, resisting the urge to rush as layers accumulate; give yourself clear prep beats and let each entrance land cleanly.

This works beautifully as a contest or festival selection, where the combination of lyricism and energy appeals to adjudicators and audiences alike. It also serves as an excellent mid-concert piece that energizes a program without requiring the technical depth of higher-level works.

• Sustained legit tone in soft dynamics
• Rhythmic precision during call-and-response between percussion and full ensemble
• Layering textures and managing dynamic balance in densely scored passages
• Responding to structural contrasts and maintaining musical shape across tempo and character changes