Photo Finish!: Score
By Brant Karrick
Grade: 2.5 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0001245
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Description
It's post time! The bugler splits the air with the familiar "Call to the Post," and they're off! There's nothing more graceful, powerful, and exciting than a group of thoroughbreds pounding toward the finish line in their quest to become the next big winner. Photo Finish! is a musical tribute to the color, pageantry, and hoof-pounding action of an exhilarating horse race. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Photo Finish!: Score 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:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
131
SKU:
00-PR-0001245
More about this title
About the Composer: Brant Karrick
Brant Karrick has shaped band programs across three decades as a conductor, educator, and composer. Since 2003, he has directed the band program at Northern Kentucky University, where he teaches conducting, orchestration, and methods courses while overseeing the Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, and Chamber Winds. His earlier career included nine years at the University of Toledo and seven years teaching in Kentucky public schools.
Karrick's compositions have circulated internationally, performed across North America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia. He holds a doctorate in music education from Louisiana State University (1994) and remains active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. His work reflects training under esteemed mentors including conductor Frank Wickes and composers David Livingston and Steve Beck.
Why we love this
Karrick captures the visceral energy of a horse race without requiring advanced technical demands. The piece succeeds by balancing accessibility with genuine musical drama; conductors at the Grade 2.5 level get real material to shape, not oversimplified work. The familiar "Call to the Post" and rhythmic drive make this an audience favorite that students actually enjoy learning.
What to expect
Photo Finish! pulses with the thunder of hooves and the pageantry of the track. The opening bugle call establishes pageantry and tradition, while the main sections gallop forward with rhythmic momentum and orchestral color, capturing the grace and power of thoroughbreds at full speed.
Who it's for
Conductors building confident Grade 2 and 3 concert bands will find this piece engaging for both students and audiences. It works well for groups seeking concert or festival material that combines approachability with genuine musical interest.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the bugler's opening call with clear articulation and presence; it sets the entire dramatic arc of the race.
- Maintain steady pulse in the rhythmic passages that depict the horses running. Precision here creates the sense of speed and power.
- Balance the scoring so that melodic lines cut through the supporting harmony. The piece works best when listeners can follow the musical narrative.
- Build intensity gradually as the race approaches the finish line. Resist the urge to rush; let the tempo stay controlled while dynamics expand.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for a concert themed around Americana or sporting traditions. Its accessibility makes it ideal for festival competition, and its theatrical quality works equally well in a concert setting where you want to showcase the band's musicality and rhythmic control.
Skills your students will build
- Executing dotted rhythms and syncopated figures with precision
- Balancing ensemble sound across multiple melodic lines
- Maintaining rhythmic stability in driving, repetitive accompaniment patterns
- Responding to dynamic shaping and tempo control from the conductor
- Playing with clarity and presence in brief solo or section-feature moments