Modal Marauders: Mallets
By Nathan Farrell
Grade: 1
Item: 00-PC-0019207_M1
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Description
Load up your musical instruments of ultimate destruction and prepare to plunder the high seas, the intergalactic expanse, or just the band room! Bring major tonality to its knees with Nathan Farrell's epic exploration of Dorian modality---Modal Marauders! Your beginning band students will love learning the ear-worm-inducing melody and fun bass lines as they rehearse and perform this epic work. Interesting percussion features and "battles" between the sections are easy to teach and engaging for all performers. It is an exciting piece that will be perfect for your young band. (2:00)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Modal Marauders: Mallets 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:
Belwin Beginning Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PC-0019207_M1
More about this title
About the Composer: Nathan Farrell
Nathan Farrell brings nearly three decades of classroom experience to his work as a composer and educator. His compositions, published across multiple major houses including Curnow Music Press, Excelcia Music Publishing, The Salvation Army, and Alfred Music, reflect a teaching philosophy rooted in creativity and engagement. Farrell studied composition with James Curnow at Asbury University and earned his Master of Education from the University of South Florida.
Farrell's contributions to music education extend beyond the concert hall. His marching band at Northside Christian School has won the Florida Marching Band Championships nine times, and his concert works have been recognized on the J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice List. His composition "Fanfare Brillante" was selected as a test piece for the International Trombone Association quartet contest. He is an active member of the Florida Bandmasters Association and has been inducted into the Florida Marching Band Championship Hall of Fame.
Why we love this
Farrell captures what beginning band students actually want to play: a piece with personality, humor, and a hook that sticks in their heads. The Dorian modal exploration feels fresh without sacrificing accessibility, and the programmatic framing gives young musicians a story to tell through their playing. Percussion and sectional interplay make everyone feel featured, which builds investment across your entire ensemble.
What to expect
Modal Marauders leans into playful adventure with a hint of swagger. The Dorian tonality creates a darker, more intriguing color than major keys students typically encounter, while the programmatic theme invites them to imagine plunder and cosmic conquest. Two minutes of pure engagement: energetic, memorable, and genuinely fun to perform.
Who it's for
Beginning band students thrive with repertoire that feels both achievable and genuinely musical. This work sits at Grade 1 with actual compositional substance, making it ideal for students in their first or second year who are ready to explore something beyond unison etudes and simple marches. Directors will appreciate material that holds student interest while teaching real musicianship.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the Dorian melody across sections so it remains the focal point; the ear-worm quality depends on clarity and consistent phrasing, not volume.
- Shape the bass lines with subtle dynamic shaping; they drive the harmonic movement and deserve more than a rhythmic pulse.
- Highlight the sectional "battles" by letting each group own their material briefly before the texture thickens; this keeps the programmatic narrative audible.
- Work percussion ensemble texture before adding winds; their rhythmic foundation and color changes deserve clean execution and precise entrances.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece to establish energy and set an adventurous tone, or program it mid-concert as a tonal palate cleanser between heavier works. It works particularly well in festival or contest settings where judges appreciate Grade 1 writing that refuses to be generic. The brevity and accessibility make it an excellent choice for beginning band showcase concerts where you want to demonstrate both technical growth and musical storytelling.
Skills your students will build
- Playing in Dorian mode and recognizing modal harmony
- Sustaining and shaping melodic lines across phrase boundaries
- Rhythmic precision in percussion ensemble passages
- Sectional independence and dynamic balance within programmatic contexts
- Understanding articulation and phrasing as narrative tools