One Final Mission: 3rd Percussion
By Adrian B. Sims
Grade: 2
Item: 00-PC-0019238_PC3
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Description
Inspired by the sounds of epic film and video game scores, One Final Mission takes the listener from the safety of home base right into the center of the action. Adrian Sims has written an extremely approachable work for developing bands with a deceivingly massive and sophisticated sound that will have jaws dropping during the performance! (2:10)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, One Final Mission: 3rd Percussion comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
MakeMusic Young Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PC-0019238_PC3
More about this title
About the Composer: Adrian B. Sims
Adrian B. Sims was born in Seattle in 2000 and has established himself as a composer, conductor, educator, and trombonist while still in his undergraduate years. His works have been performed at major venues including The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and recognized on the Bandworld Top 100 List. He has won composition competitions through the Maryland Music Educators Association Young Composers Project and the Make Music Young Composers Contest, and regularly conducts his own music in performances across Maryland schools.
Currently a dual-degree student in Music Education and Composition at the University of Maryland, Sims studies composition with Dr. Robert Gibson and has learned directly from world-renowned composer Brian Balmages. As a performer, he plays principal roles in the university's top ensembles and has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. His development as a musician reflects the guidance of band directors Christopher Gnagey and Cindy Stevenson, as well as his principal teacher Matthew Guilford, solo bass trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Why we love this
One Final Mission delivers exactly what developing bands crave: music that sounds far more sophisticated than its Grade 2 level suggests. Sims captures the drama and momentum of film and game scores without overwhelming younger players, making this an ideal choice for bands eager to tackle something with real impact. The contest/festival designation means students get the double reward of building chops while preparing material that genuinely impresses.
What to expect
One Final Mission swells from an intimate, grounded opening into urgent, sweeping action. The writing channels modern film and game music without sacrificing musical substance, creating a journey that feels both familiar and fresh. Players and audiences alike will feel the shift from stillness to movement, making this a genuinely engaging listening experience.
Who it's for
Grade 2 concert bands looking for repertoire with cinematic scope and emotional range. This work works equally well for bands building confidence in their ability to shape larger musical narratives and for ensembles preparing festival or contest entries where impact matters.
How to get the most out of it
- Build the dynamic arc deliberately in the action sequences. Sims has layered the texture to create momentum, but rushing the crescendos will flatten the effect; take time for the swells to register with the audience.
- Balance the melodic lines across your sections carefully. With a Grade 2 band, clarity of the primary theme matters more than orchestral blend, so make sure your lead voice sits prominently without drowning out the harmonic foundation.
- The contrasts between home base and action work best when you observe the composer's dynamic markings precisely. Exaggerating the soft passages will make the climaxes land harder.
How to use it
Program this as a festival or contest selection where you need a crowd-pleasing piece that showcases student growth without requiring virtuosity. Its cinematic storytelling also makes it an engaging opener for a fall concert, drawing audiences in with recognizable musical language before moving into more traditional concert band fare.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing dynamic contrast (pp to ff) within a cohesive musical phrase
- Balancing melody and accompaniment in a multi-textured arrangement
- Responding to conductor cues that shape emotional pacing and dramatic timing
- Sustaining focus through a longer form (2:10) that requires narrative awareness