Off-Kilter: Bells
By Timothy Loest
Grade: 1.5
Item: 98-PC-DB1777_B
$7.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Explore the unconventional in this dare-to-be-different original. Catchy grooves, quirky half steps, and playful tri-tones are presented in a safe, yet surrealistic way. Unique, fun, and catchy - this is the perfect change of pace for your next concert!
Off-Kilter: Bells 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
Additional Details
Series:
FJH Developing Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1777_B
More about this title
About the Composer: Timothy Loest
Timothy Loest has spent over thirty years in the classroom at F.E. Peacock Middle School in Itasca, Illinois, where his deep understanding of young musicians' needs shaped his compositional voice. His works for developing bands are performed worldwide, and his contributions to music education extend beyond composition; he is credited as a primary voice behind several widely adopted methods, including Measures of Success: A Comprehensive Musicianship Band Method and the Warm-ups and Beyond series. In 2017, his composition Cloud Gate (Reflections of a City) reached an audience of over 5,000 at Chicago's Millennium Park, and that same year he received the Illinois Grade School Music Association's Cloyd Myers Memorial Award for Excellence in Music Education.
Since his first published work in 1995, Loest has written for major publishers including C.L. Barnhouse Company, FJH Music Company, and MakeMusic Publications. His music has appeared on television programs ranging from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to Good Morning America. In 2022, he founded Fanfare Music Press to produce high-quality compositions and arrangements for band. Loest holds degrees from Illinois State University and Northwestern University, maintains membership in ASCAP, and regularly accepts commissions for band works.
Why we love this
Loest writes accessible music that doesn't sacrifice cleverness or personality for the sake of simplicity. Off-Kilter uses unconventional harmonic moments and rhythmic grooves to hold your ensemble's attention while keeping the technical demands realistic for a Grade 1.5 group, making it an ideal contest selection or concert surprise that audiences genuinely enjoy.
What to expect
Off-Kilter lands somewhere between a playful musical cartoon and a genuine concert moment, with unexpected harmonic turns that feel intentional rather than clumsy. The grooves are genuinely fun to play, and the surrealistic quality of the arrangement invites audiences to lean in and listen rather than settle back passively.
Who it's for
This score works for any director programming a concert band concert or festival where you want to showcase your ensemble's personality and technical growth without overwhelming them. Grade 1.5 bands with solid fundamentals will find the unconventional harmonic language engaging and achievable.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the playful dissonance carefully; the quirky half steps and tri-tones work best when clearly articulated but not overplayed, so resist the urge to exaggerate the humor.
- Lock in the grooves sectionally before combining all parts; the catchy rhythmic ideas need tight internal coordination within each section to land the surrealistic effect.
- Shape phrasing around the melodic hooks rather than conducting metronomically; Loest's grooves breathe, so allow small flexibility to let the fun breathe with them.
How to use it
Program this as a palate cleanser between more traditional selections, or use it as your closer if you want audiences leaving with a smile and a sense that your band doesn't take itself too seriously. It also works effectively as a contest piece where you want to stand out through musical personality rather than technical fireworks.
Skills your students will build
- Playing with secure intonation in unconventional harmonic contexts (half steps, tri-tones)
- Locking rhythmic grooves across multiple sections
- Balancing articulation and dynamics to serve compositional humor and intent
- Responding to subtle phrase shaping within a contemporary harmonic language