Lightning!: Concert Band Conductor Score

$8.00 USD

Lightning!: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Lightning!: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-22268S
Price: 8.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Todd Stalter

Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-22268S

$8.00

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One moment…

"Lightning!" was inspired by the awesome display of beauty and raw energy from a powerful spring thunderstorm that the composer observed in the night sky. Although the storm was almost 100 miles away, the sight of the accompanying electrical show was both an exhilarating and humbling experience. The aggressive parts of this composition attempt to portray the level of energy present in the storm, while the slow interior section provides an opportunity for listeners and performers alike to reflect on its visual beauty. (2:45)

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Series: Young Symphonic

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 16

ISBN10: 1-4706-6131-4

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6131-1

UPC: 038081228082

SKU: 00-22268S

More about this title

About the Composer: Todd Stalter

Todd Stalter spent 34 years as Director of Bands at Eureka High School in Illinois, building a program with a statewide reputation. His ensembles earned 16 Class 1A state marching championships, consistent superior ratings at IHSA contests, and performed at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and Walt Disney World. He has guest-conducted All-State Bands in Georgia and Delaware, served as an adjudicator and clinician across the Midwest, and presented on music education and composition at state and regional conferences.

Stalter holds a Bachelor of Music Education (cum laude) and Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from Illinois State University. His compositions for band and string orchestra are performed worldwide and appear on state contest and festival lists throughout the United States. Several of his band works are featured in the "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band" series published by GIA. He is a member of the Illinois State Marching Band Championships Hall of Fame.

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Why we love this

The storm imagery gives this piece immediate appeal to young musicians while the musical structure delivers real teaching moments. The energetic outer sections contrast sharply with a reflective interior, allowing your ensemble to explore dynamic range and tonal control within a compact, achievable timeframe.

What to expect

The piece opens with the raw power of an approaching storm, full of driving rhythm and pointed articulation. Its interior unfolds as a moment of awe and reflection, quieter and more introspective, before the thunder returns with renewed intensity.

Who it's for

Grade 2 concert bands seeking a programmatic work that challenges musicianship without overwhelming technical demands. Directors can use this piece to develop musicians' expressive range and attention to dynamic contrast while keeping rehearsal time manageable.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the aggressive passages with clear articulation and precise rhythmic control; this energy comes from ensemble unanimity, not from individual players pushing harder.
Let the slower middle section breathe; resist the urge to rush, and encourage players to listen across the ensemble rather than watch the conductor.
Balance the natural excitement of the return to the opening material with the same attention to ensemble blend you developed in the lyrical section.
Invest rehearsal time in the transitions between sections; these moments define whether the piece feels like a unified storm or a collection of separate ideas.

How to use it

Program this as a concert opener to set an energetic tone, or pair it with contrasting quieter works to highlight its dramatic arc. At 2:45, it fits naturally into a mixed program where you want something vivid without consuming excessive concert real estate.