Midnight Sky (from Midnight Suite): F Horn
from Midnight Suite
By Brian Balmages
Level:.5
Item: 98-PC-DB1321_H1
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Description
This incredibly expressive lyrical work has a mature sound, contemporary harmonies, and intricate textures. Approachable by the youngest of bands yet more than appropriate for middle school bands as well. As a bonus, the work comes with three chorales (each with a particular teaching concept) to further develop sound and intonation.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Midnight Sky (from Midnight Suite): F Horn 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-PC-DB1321_H1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has built an international reputation as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber music idioms. His works have been heard in major concert halls including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles ranging from professional orchestras to elementary school groups. He is a member of the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, along with the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest award for Love and Light.
As a guest conductor, Balmages regularly leads all-state and regional ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide. His music was featured in the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. He holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Miami, where he received the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Currently, he serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
This piece demonstrates how exceptional writing at the earliest levels need not sacrifice musical substance. The contemporary harmonic language and textural sophistication give young players a genuinely mature experience, while the inclusion of three teaching chorales transforms the work into a tool for developing ensemble sound from the inside out. Balmages understands what beginning bands need to hear and play in order to care about intonation and blend.
What to expect
Midnight Sky unfolds with a contemplative, contemporary sensibility. The harmonies shimmer and shift in ways that feel modern and expressive without sounding brittle or dissonant, creating an atmosphere that is introspective yet never gloomy.
Who it's for
Beginning and early intermediate concert bands looking for sophisticated yet accessible repertoire. The piece speaks equally to the youngest ensembles and middle school groups, making it versatile for mixed-age programs or festival programming where you need a single work that challenges without overwhelming.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the lyrical melody against the supporting voices; resist the urge to let the uppermost line dominate, since the contemporary harmonies depend on clarity across the full texture.
- Approach the chorales as extended warm-ups rather than separate items, allowing each one to address a specific acoustic problem your band identifies in the main work.
- Shape the phrasing with gentle dynamic contours even in sustained passages; younger players often hold notes at a single dynamic, which flattens the expressive intent.
How to use it
Program this at the start of a concert to establish a sophisticated tonal center before moving to contrasting repertoire, or use it as the centerpiece of a festival entry where contemporary sound and tasteful orchestration will stand out. The included chorales work beautifully as standalone concert openers or as developmental material in rehearsal leading up to the main work's performance.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing independent melodic lines within contemporary harmonic contexts
- Sustaining expressive tone across lyrical phrases
- Ensemble intonation refinement through structured chorale study
- Understanding contemporary harmonic language and textural writing