Never Let Up: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$45.00 USD

Never Let Up: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Never Let Up: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-ST6532
Price: 45.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 1

Item: 98-ST6532

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Persistence, dedication, intention and drive. Exploring the dynamics of human resiliency, this aggressive work relies on driving rhythmic elements, stately melodic lines and intense harmonic moments. Heroic and powerful from start to finish!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Never Let Up: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: FJH Beginning Strings

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444436776

SKU: 98-ST6532

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built a career that moves fluidly across orchestral, band, and chamber music contexts, earning recognition from prestigious institutions and organizations alike. His works have graced major concert halls from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles spanning from professional orchestras to school groups. He holds an A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and serves as an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association.

Beyond composition, Balmages maintains an active conducting schedule with all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide. He has guest conducted at major conferences including the Midwest Clinic and College Band Directors Conference, and his music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. Currently, he directs MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages crafts Grade 1 string music that doesn't talk down to young players. The rhythmic drive and harmonic intensity create genuine dramatic stakes, making students feel like they're performing something substantial rather than filling time between harder pieces. It's the rare early-level work that builds resiliency in the ensemble itself through its direct, forceful writing.

What to expect

Never Let Up surges forward with relentless energy, built on propulsive rhythms that anchor the ensemble while stately melodic lines cut through above. The harmonic language has teeth; these aren't sweet harmonies but thick, resonant sonorities that reinforce the work's themes of grit and determination.

Who it's for

String directors working with beginning orchestras who want repertoire with real musical substance and dramatic weight. This is ideal for ensembles ready to tackle something more demanding than typical Grade 1 fare, especially programs preparing for festivals or contests.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the pulse in your opening gesture with absolute clarity. The driving rhythmic elements need a conductor who commits fully to the tempo; any wavering will scatter the energy the piece demands.
Shape the stately melodic lines with long-line thinking even at this level. Resist the urge to poke at every note; let phrases breathe and build toward their natural peaks.
Balance intensity with precision. The aggressive character can tempt young players to rush or play heavy-handedly. Mark cut-offs clearly and insist on clean articulation to maintain power without muddiness.

How to use it

Open a concert with this piece to set an intentional, powerful tone from the first notes. It pairs well on programs featuring early-level repertoire by establishing that beginning orchestras can tackle serious musical language. Festival seasons benefit from this work especially; its contest designation and Grade 1 accessibility make it a natural competitive choice.