Mind Games: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Mind Games: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Mind Games: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-50706
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 1.5

Item: 00-50706

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This eerie composition employs colors and harmonies rarely found at this level. Based on harmonic illusions where notes seem to drift out of context, Mind Games introduces low-1 fingerings in a pedagogical way, encouraging students to maintain a relaxed wrist. The Cello section is introduced to easy backward extensions, and bass players see some simple 1st finger shifting. Brian Balmages has written an extremely colorful work full of imagery equally suited as a festival piece or lighter work. (2:15)

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Series: MakeMusic Developing Strings

Publisher: MakeMusic Publications

ISBN10: 1-4706-6170-5

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6170-0

UPC: 038081579207

SKU: 00-50706

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber repertoire at every level. His music has reached audiences at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, and countless school concert halls worldwide. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest. In 2022, he earned the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award and was commissioned by the University of Miami to compose music for the inauguration of the institution's president. His compositions were performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden.

As a conductor, Balmages regularly appears with all-state ensembles, university orchestras, and professional groups internationally. He has guest conducted at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, College Band Directors Conference, American School Band Directors Association National Conference, and Teatro dell'Aquila in Italy. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages has crafted an orchestration that sounds genuinely striking without requiring stretched technique from young players. The piece opens a door to harmonic colors (parallel fifths, modal inflections, unresolved tensions) that feel fresh at Grade 1.5, while pedagogical fingering choices make each new technique feel purposeful rather than arbitrary. It checks the festival box cleanly, but the musical content is rich enough to program as a concert centerpiece, not filler.

What to expect

Mind Games creates an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere through shifting harmonies and unexpected note placements that seem to drift in and out of focus. The piece feels eerie without being dark, colorful without being chaotic, creating a brief journey through sound that rewards focused listening.

Who it's for

String orchestras at grades 1.5 and up who are ready to explore extended positions and unconventional harmony without overwhelming players. This piece suits festival submissions and concert programs where a brief, visually atmospheric work creates a memorable arc in a set.

How to get the most out of it

Encourage cellists to approach low-1 fingerings with wrist flexibility. Have them practice the shift without pressing; the goal is relaxed motion, not tension.
The harmonic drifts work best when section balance is slightly adjusted. Bass voices may need to voice down their color notes so upper strings can sing the main melodic line clearly.
Rehearse the most dissonant moments with attention to intonation and ensemble blend. Slightly wider vibrato on sustained tones will help the eerie quality land without sounding uncertain.

How to use it

Program this as a festival submission or as a concert opener that preps the audience for a thematic evening. Its 2:15 length makes it ideal padding between larger works, but the distinctive harmonic language earns it a spot where the orchestra can claim full attention.