Midnight Mission (From Midnight Suite): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
From Midnight Suite
By Brian Balmages
Level:.5
Item: 98-DB1269
$55.00
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Description
Your students will become spies in this secret midnight adventure. The music suggests the various obstacles faced in this sneaky encounter as they head for their mission objective. The entire work builds steadily until they are almost caught, only to disappear once again under cover of darkness. An ideal piece that is sure to be a favorite!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Midnight Mission (From Midnight Suite): 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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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Starter Series
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DB1269
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor with an expansive portfolio spanning orchestral, band, and chamber repertoire. His works have been performed by ensembles at every level, from professional orchestras in venues like Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to school groups worldwide, and he has received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest.
Balmages holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and has received distinguished alumni recognition from both James Madison University and the University of Miami, where he was commissioned to compose for the presidential inauguration. As a guest conductor, he regularly appears at major conferences including the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and College Band Directors Conference. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages captures the imagination of younger ensembles with specific, vivid musical storytelling that never feels condescending. This piece progresses logically from mystery to tension to narrow escape, giving students a narrative arc to follow that sharpens their phrasing and dynamic control while they're having fun playing spies.
What to expect
The music conjures the tension of a covert operation: whispered entrances, creeping rhythms, mounting pressure as alarms approach, and finally the adrenaline rush of escape. The dramatic arc keeps the ensemble engaged throughout and gives each moment a sense of purpose.
Who it's for
Beginning and early intermediate concert bands looking for a contest or festival piece that engages students through narrative rather than technical difficulty. This works equally well for schools seeking accessible programming that holds audiences' attention with clear musical storytelling.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening quietly and deliberately to establish the secretive mood; resist the urge to rush as tension builds during the mission sequence.
- Balance the ensemble carefully during the climactic section where multiple rhythmic layers converge; this requires good sectional communication and listening between parts.
- Let the final escape section breathe with a gradual fade into darkness; this requires students to hear each other as the texture thins rather than following a strict tempo.
How to use it
Program this alongside other narrative-driven works from the FJH Starter Series to create a thematic concert block, or use it as a spring festival submission where its clear dramatic arc and accessible difficulty make it appealing to judges and audiences alike. It also works as a concert opener that captures attention immediately.
Skills your students will build
- Shaping dynamics to reflect narrative tension and resolution
- Balancing transparent textures during simultaneous rhythmic lines
- Sustaining musical momentum through a longer formal structure
- Controlling tempo and phrasing in quiet passages to maintain musical energy