Night Flight of the Gargoyles: Trombone
By Timothy Loest
Grade: 1.5
Item: 98-PC-DB1248_TN1
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
This harrowing work depicts a horde of scowling, bewitched gargoyles as they break free from their stone perches and fly about under cover of darkness. After a vengeful introduction, the aggressive theme takes off, supported by bombastic percussion. Each section gets its say with the melody, and your clarinetists will love playing the bloodcurdling screams. A bold and dramatic work for concert or contest!
Night Flight of the Gargoyles: Trombone isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
FJH Developing Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1248_TN1
More about this title
About the Composer: Timothy Loest
Timothy Loest has spent over three decades in the classroom while building an international reputation for compositions that balance musical ambition with genuine accessibility. His works appear regularly on state and national contest programs, and his influence extends beyond the concert hall: he received the Illinois Grade School Music Association's Cloyd Myers Memorial Award in 2017, the same year his composition Cloud Gate was performed for over 5,000 spectators at Chicago's Millennium Park.
Loest's contributions to music education span both creative work and pedagogical resources. He is associated with multiple best-selling instrumental methods including Measures of Success: A Comprehensive Musicianship Band Method, Warm-ups and Beyond, Rhythms and Beyond, and Chorales and Beyond. His music has been featured on network television programs including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, and Extra. In 2022, he founded Fanfare Music Press to publish compositions and arrangements for band at the highest level. He holds degrees from Illinois State University and Northwestern University, maintains membership in ASCAP, and regularly accepts commissions for band.
Why we love this
Loest understands exactly how to deliver drama and excitement at the 1.5 grade level without overwhelming young musicians. The aggressive, clearly defined themes give every section memorable material to perform, while the narrative arc keeps students engaged from the vengeful introduction through the frenzied climax. Contest judges consistently respond to pieces with this combination of approachable technique and genuine theatrical impact.
What to expect
Night Flight of the Gargoyles immerses players in a cinematic world of darkness and chaos. The opening establishes an atmosphere of menace, and once the aggressive theme launches, the piece sustains relentless forward motion punctuated by piercing clarinet cries that feel genuinely unsettling in the best way.
Who it's for
This work fits developing concert bands with solid fundamentals in their woodwind and percussion sections. Conductors preparing for a festival or contest will appreciate the strong narrative hook that maintains audience attention and the technical demands that sit right at the sweet spot for motivated young musicians.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the clarinet screams with the supporting harmonic foundation from lower woodwinds and brass so the effect is thrilling rather than chaotic.
- Shape the bombastic percussion writing as if it's part of the dramatic arc, not just loud noise; let dynamics and articulation choices respond to the melodic intent above.
- Establish a steady, relentless tempo during the aggressive theme section; any wavering will dilute the forward momentum that makes the piece work.
- Mark clear entrance points for each section as it "gets its say" with the melody so transitions feel deliberately staged rather than accidental.
How to use it
Schedule this as a closing concert piece or final contest selection where its drama can leave a lasting impression. The narrative clarity makes it an ideal bridge between lighter educational repertoire and more complex concert fare, signaling to audiences that your band is ready for ambitious programming.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing melody with supporting harmonic texture in fast, complex passages
- Executing articulation and breath control for piercing, expressive clarinet passages
- Maintaining tempo stability and ensemble cohesion during aggressive, driving sections
- Responding to dramatic architectural shifts and contrasting thematic material within a single piece
- Coordinating rhythmic precision in percussion writing that drives harmonic and melodic content