Mission: Secret: 2 Euphoniums, 2 Tubas Score & Parts

A sneaky, syncopated prowl through a minor-key funk groove. The riff catches in your ear immediately, and that sustained melody overhead feels both earnest and slightly tongue-in-cheek, like underscore for a scene where the spy is obviously sneaking around and everyone knows it.

Low brass quartets at the easy-medium level who want a short, engaging work with comedy built in. The piece works equally well for groups exploring improvisation and those preferring to stick with written solos.

• Lock the bass line riff between your two tubas first; once that groove sits solid, the euphoniums' melody will settle into place naturally.
• If improvising the solos, work through the C concert blues scale beforehand as a group so students hear the palette they're working within.
• Lean into the spy-thriller character with articulation choices; crisp staccato on the riff trades energy with the smooth legato of the melody line.

Perfect as a closer or novelty piece on a brass ensemble concert, or tuck it into a casual performance where the energy needs lifting. It's short enough to pair with a longer work and strong enough to stand alone at a festival.

• Blues improvisation using a concert blues scale
• Rhythmic cohesion in a group riff
• Balance between bass line and melody
• Stylistic differentiation between sustained and articulated lines