Moore Street Rag: Concert Band Conductor Score

Hodges captures the essential energy and character of ragtime without overwhelming young musicians. The writing gives every section meaningful moments with the syncopated melodies and counter melodies, while the steady bass line keeps the ensemble grounded, making this a genuinely rewarding piece to rehearse and perform.

Bouncy, conversational, and thoroughly fun. The syncopated melodies dance over a steady groove, with chromatic lines adding color and sophistication without complexity. It feels like a celebration of early American vernacular music brought to life by eager young players.

Beginning and early intermediate concert bands seeking accessible, engaging repertoire that introduces genuine ragtime style. Young musicians thrive when they can experience authentic musical idioms scaled to their abilities, and this piece delivers exactly that.

• Establish the syncopation early in rehearsal by clapping the rhythmic patterns separately before full ensemble work; young musicians often need this isolation to understand how their part interacts with surrounding voices.
• Shape the articulation precisely: light and bouncy on the syncopated melodic lines, crisp and connected on the chromatic motives, so the ragtime idiom comes through clearly.
• Feature the trombones from the start by balancing the ensemble around their opening statement; their prominence throughout the piece should feel natural and supported rather than exposed.
• Keep the steady bass line in the low brass and woodwinds conversational but never heavy; ragtime thrives on rhythmic clarity and forward motion, not weight.

Program this as a crowd-pleasing centerpiece in a concert devoted to American or early-twentieth-century styles, or use it as a bridge between classical and contemporary repertoire to show students the breadth of concert band literature. Its accessibility and genuine musical substance make it work equally well at festivals, indoor performances, or outdoor summer concerts.

• Syncopated rhythm reading and execution
• Articulation clarity and precision in jazz-influenced style
• Chromatic melodic and harmonic concepts
• Balanced ensemble playing with featured sections rotating
• Ragtime idiom and its relationship to jazz and American musical history