Mad Dash: F Horn
By Timothy Loest
Grade: 2
Item: 98-PC-DB1657_H1
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Step back in time with this thrilling circus galop composed in the style of Karl L. King. Experience an evening inside the Big Top, complete with capricious clowns, amazing aerialists, enormous elephants, and a superlative spectacle of downright death-defying feats. Get ready. You’re about to make a mad dash!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Mad Dash: F Horn comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
FJH Young Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1657_H1
More about this title
About the Composer: Timothy Loest
Timothy Loest has shaped young band programs across America through both his compositions and his foundational work in music pedagogy. His portfolio spans three decades of classroom teaching, numerous published works performed worldwide, and deep involvement with best-selling band methods including Measures of Success® and Warm-ups and Beyond. In 2017, his composition Cloud Gate (Reflections of a City) reached over 5,000 listeners at Chicago's Millennium Park, and that same year he received the Illinois Grade School Music Association's highest honor, the Cloyd Myers Memorial Award for Excellence in Music Education.
Loest's work has appeared on network television including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Good Morning America. Since 1995, he has published through major houses including C.L. Barnhouse, FJH Music Company, and MakeMusic Publications, and founded Fanfare Music Press in 2022 to champion high-quality band compositions and arrangements. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree with high honors from Illinois State University and his Master of Music degree with program honors from Northwestern University, and continues to accept commissions for band through his website.
Why we love this
Loest captures the infectious energy of a classic circus galop while keeping the technical demands appropriate for a second-year band. The novelty theme gives students a refreshing break from standard concert fare, and the character-driven orchestration (capricious clowns, death-defying aerialists, lumbering elephants) invites ensemble members to imagine themselves performing an elaborate spectacle. Programming this piece generates the kind of genuine enthusiasm that carries momentum into the rest of your rehearsal season.
What to expect
Mad Dash evokes the controlled chaos of the Big Top, with moments of whimsy, wonder, and carefully orchestrated mayhem. The galop's traditional structure provides a familiar musical home, while the descriptive orchestration and Loest's imaginative scoring keep the listening experience playful and engaging.
Who it's for
This is ideal for second-year concert bands seeking programming that builds confidence and delivers audience appeal without sacrificing musicality. Directors building ensembles with mixed experience levels will find the accessible Grade 2 scoring keeps part writing supportive while allowing featured sections to shine.
How to get the most out of it
- Lean into the character moments. The clowns, aerialists, and elephants demand musical caricature; encourage sections to exaggerate their dynamic contrasts and articulations to bring the circus vignettes to life.
- Keep the galop moving with clear, confident conducting. Light concert pieces lose their charm if they feel sluggish; maintain forward energy and allow the excitement to build naturally through the piece.
- Balance the percussion ensemble carefully. The piece's novelty relies heavily on rhythmic and textural variety; make sure timpani, snare drum, and auxiliary percussion are heard as distinct voices without overwhelming the melodic material.
How to use it
This piece works beautifully as a change-of-pace selection in a spring concert or as a crowd-pleasing opener that sets a celebratory tone for your program. Its novelty character makes it an excellent pairing alongside more serious repertoire, or you might program it alongside other Grade 2 classics to showcase your ensemble's stylistic range and energy.
Skills your students will build
- Ensemble balance across contrasting sections (melodic vs. rhythmic accompaniment)
- Dynamic control and articulation contrast within a single piece
- Responding to conductor cues and tempo changes in a fast-moving galop
- Character-driven interpretation and musical storytelling