Orbital: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Adrian B. Sims
Grade: 4.5
Item: 00-PK-0008771
$100.00
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Description
Referring to the orbit of an electron, planet, or galaxy, Orbital propels the listener back and forth between musical ideas representing tremendous gravitational forces. Adrian Sims does a phenomenal job in the development of this work, and the heroic central theme truly soars as the piece comes to a thrilling and powerful conclusion! (4:30)
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Additional Details
Series:
MakeMusic Symphonic Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PK-0008771
More about this title
About the Composer: Adrian B. Sims
Adrian B. Sims (b. 2000) is a composer, conductor, educator, and trombonist from Seattle, Washington. He studied at Catonsville High School in Maryland and has since earned recognition through performances at The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and selection on the Bandworld Top 100 List. His compositions have won awards in the Maryland Music Educators Association Young Composers Project and the Make Music Young Composers Contest, and he has conducted performances of his own works across Maryland schools.
As a performer, Sims has maintained active involvement with orchestral, jazz, and concert ensembles, including appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra during his high school years. He currently pursues a dual degree in Music Education and Composition at The University of Maryland, where he studies composition with Dr. Robert Gibson and bass trombone with Matthew Guilford of the National Symphony Orchestra. His mentorship under world-renowned composer Brian Balmages has shaped his development as a young artist committed to both creative and educational work.
Why we love this
Adrian Sims writes with genuine command of band sonority and structural pacing, which shows in Orbital's clear sense of direction and dramatic arc. The programmatic concept of gravitational forces provides students with concrete musical imagery while maintaining compositional substance that challenges them technically and musically. At Grade 4.5, this piece strikes an excellent balance between accessibility and ambition, making it ideal for ensembles ready to tackle contest literature with confidence.
What to expect
Orbital moves like celestial bodies caught in the pull of opposing forces, swinging back and forth between contrasting musical ideas with genuine gravitational tension. The writing propels listeners forward with momentum, culminating in a heroic central theme that soars with conviction before the piece hurtles toward an exhilarating, powerful close.
Who it's for
Band directors preparing a Grade 4.5 ensemble for contest or festival performance will find Orbital a substantial, rewarding choice. The piece engages advanced-intermediate students who are ready for programmatic sophistication and stronger technical demands without exceeding realistic rehearsal timelines.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the contrast between the opposing gravitational forces early in the piece. The oscillating ideas need clear dynamic and tonal differentiation so the orbital concept registers aurally.
- Build the heroic central theme with genuine breadth. This section represents the gravitational apex, so conductor and ensemble should commit fully to the soaring character without rushing the phrasing.
- Shape the final crescendo and conclusion by gradually intensifying both dynamics and ensemble unity. The powerful ending rewards precise ensemble coordination across all sections.
How to use it
Program Orbital as a concert centerpiece or contest selection where your ensemble can showcase both tonal control and dynamic range. The piece sits comfortably alongside other programmatic concert band literature and serves as an excellent choice for state or regional festival submissions where the combination of artistic intent and technical challenge will impress adjudicators.
Skills your students will build
- Interpreting programmatic imagery and translating it into dynamic and tonal contrast
- Sustaining and shaping extended lyrical passages (the heroic central theme)
- Building ensemble cohesion across a multi-section crescendo and climactic ending
- Responding to advanced harmonic and structural development appropriate to Grade 4.5 literature