Ol' Man River/That Old Black Magic: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts
Arranged by Richard L. Saucedo
Grade: 5
Item: 35-PK01612048
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Description
In the world of music for the field (both bands and drum corps), the name Richard Saucedo has become synonymous with effective and quality writing for the top ensembles in the nation. Adapting his drum corps arrangement for Spirit from JSU, here is an impressive opener based on familiar standards.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01612048
More about this title
About the Arranger: Richard L. Saucedo
Richard L. Saucedo shaped marching and concert music at Carmel High School in Indiana for 31 years, building a program that consistently competed at the highest levels. His bands earned state championships, performed at national festivals multiple times, and the Marching Greyhounds claimed BOA National titles in 2005 and 2012 after spending 17 years in the top ten.
After retiring in 2013, Saucedo has remained deeply involved in the activity as a freelance arranger and composer, brass arranger for championship-level drum corps, and educational consultant for Music for All and Bands of America. His honors include Indiana's Bandmaster of the Year (1998-99), induction into both the Music for All Hall of Fame and Drum Corps International Hall of Fame, and membership in the American Bandmasters Association.
Why we love this
Saucedo brings the precision and musicality of elite drum corps arranging to your marching band repertoire. Taking a proven arrangement from a Spirit championship season and adapting it for high school level means you get sophisticated harmonic writing and clean voice leading without losing the dramatic impact that makes both standards sing. An opening statement this strong gives your program credibility from the first notes.
What to expect
Classic Broadway meets modern marching precision. The familiar melodies ground the listener while sophisticated harmonies and voiceleading create depth and forward momentum, building energy that launches your show with polish and confidence.
Who it's for
Grade 5 marching bands ready to open their show with repertoire that commands attention and demonstrates compositional craft. Directors programming a competitive season or seeking a statement opener that bridges familiar material with serious arranging will find this particularly valuable.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody across your top voices; these standards rely on the audience recognizing the tune immediately, so the lead voice must cut through the harmonic texture without overpowering the ensemble sound.
- Shape the dynamics with intention during transitions between themes. Saucedo's writing supports character changes, and drilling your shift from one standard to the other teaches your students how arrangement architecture drives musical storytelling.
- Lock the foundational harmonic rhythm in your inner voices and bass line first. Once that grid is solid, the melody and countermelodies will sit naturally without requiring constant conductor intervention.
How to use it
Program this as a powerful opener that establishes your band's musical authority from the downbeat. Its accessibility makes it an effective crowd-pleaser while the arranging quality signals to judges that you take musicality seriously. Consider it ideal for early-season performances where you want impressive results before moving into more conceptually demanding material.
Skills your students will build
- Identifying and balancing inner voice lines within dense harmonic textures
- Executing style contrasts between two distinct musical themes in a single arrangement
- Ensemble precision in compound marching patterns that support harmonic clarity