Matrix: Tuba
By Gary Fagan
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0000401_TB1
$3.00
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Description
Hand clapping. Foot stomping. Pencils tapping. This isn't your typical young band piece! Your students will love the fun of these unique scoring effects when they play Matrix. Using syncopated rhythms and some unexpected harmonies, this piece will definitely keep you on your toes. Try something different on your next concert with Matrix! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Matrix: Tuba comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
272
SKU:
00-PC-0000401_TB1
More about this title
About the Composer: Gary Fagan
Gary Fagan's compositions have reached audiences from the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic to the White House, with performances spanning international venues and significant ceremonial occasions including the inauguration of former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder. He earned his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Bridgewater College and completed a master's degree at James Madison University, then spent 36 years leading the band program in Albemarle County Schools before transitioning to university supervision and adjunct teaching in arranging.
Fagan's contributions to music education have been recognized with multiple honors: Outstanding Middle School Teacher (University of Virginia Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa), Outstanding Educator Award from the Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts, and recognition from the Piedmont Council of the Arts. He remains deeply engaged in the profession as a clinician, adjudicator, and active member of MENC, VBODA, the National Band Association, and Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity. Currently a percussionist and Assistant Director with the Charlottesville Band, he continues to compose and arrange for band and string orchestra.
Why we love this
Matrix breaks the mold of typical Grade 2 fare by building genuine energy through unconventional sounds: hand claps, foot stomps, and pencil taps weave into the texture alongside syncopated rhythms and surprising harmonic twists. Your students stay engaged not by passive listening but by participating in a rhythmic conversation that feels modern and playful, making this an ideal program opener that signals to the audience that something fresh is coming.
What to expect
Matrix pulses with contemporary energy, blending familiar concert band sonorities with percussive textures that feel almost like a drum circle has invaded the stage. The syncopated rhythms create a sense of forward momentum while the unexpected harmonies keep listeners (and conductors) slightly off balance in the best way, resulting in a piece that feels both fun and purposeful.
Who it's for
Young concert bands ready to move beyond conventional instrumentation and rhythm. Grade 2 bands with solid fundamentals and the maturity to handle non-traditional sound sources will find this piece both technically accessible and musically engaging.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish clear, consistent conducting patterns for the hand clapping and foot stomping sections so all students enter together; consider a brief isolated rehearsal of just these rhythmic elements before combining with pitched parts.
- Balance the syncopated lines carefully during sectional work; have one section play while others tap along to internalize the off-beat figures before full ensemble runs.
- Emphasize the unexpected harmonic moments during rehearsal by having students identify them on the score; hearing the intentional color shift helps them commit to the sonority rather than playing through it.
How to use it
Open a concert with Matrix to immediately establish an adventurous tone and show your audience that young bands can take creative risks. It pairs well on programs alongside more traditional Grade 2 selections, proving that accessibility and innovation aren't mutually exclusive.
Skills your students will build
- Syncopated rhythm reading and execution
- Non-pitched percussion integration (hand claps, foot stomps, pencil taps)
- Harmonic awareness through unexpected chord progressions
- Ensemble precision with multiple independent rhythmic lines