Pop!: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Tawnie Olson
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00444411
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Description
Inspired by the ever-popular snack, "Pop!" is a grade 3 band piece by composer Tawnie Olson that imitates the sounds popping popcorn beginning with that first, single kernel to the exploding sounds of an overflowing pot. Through the use of imitation, additive processes, playful articulation, and the development of tune fragments, Olson crafted a piece that is relatable and great fun to play. "Pop!" also has an aleatoric passage that gives young performers the opportunity to co-compose by improvising sounds that suggest of pop of popcorn in the making.
BandQuest, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadable audio catalog.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00444411
More about this title
About the Composer: Tawnie Olson
Tawnie Olson is a composer and educator whose work spans concert music, chamber repertoire, and pieces designed specifically for young ensembles. Her compositions are known for their clarity of voice, accessibility to student performers, and engagement with contemporary compositional techniques. Olson's involvement with BandQuest reflects her commitment to expanding the musical vocabulary available to middle school bands.
Why we love this
Olson builds genuine compositional sophistication into a concept that lives in every student's kitchen. The aleatoric section gives young musicians agency in the creative process, transforming them from interpreters into active composers, while the additive structure and playful orchestration keep the energy high and the difficulty manageable.
What to expect
Playful and kinetic, with a concept so concrete that every listener understands what they are hearing. The opening restraint gives way to building excitement and a satisfying abundance, mirroring the familiar experience of watching popcorn transform from individual kernels to a full pot.
Who it's for
Grade 3 bands that want repertoire with contemporary techniques and genuine educational value. This piece works equally well for ensembles seeking a concert opener with immediate appeal or a teaching tool that introduces aleatoric writing and collaborative composition.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening kernel pops as isolated, staccato events before the texture begins layering. Clarity in articulation during the early measures makes the narrative arc unmistakable.
- Rehearse the aleatoric passage separately so students understand the freedom within structure. Establish a clear cue or gesture for the conductor to keep the ensemble together while individuals improvise.
- Balance the imitative passages so that each section's melodic fragment emerges cleanly. This keeps the additive process audible and prevents the texture from becoming muddied.
- Bring out the contrast when the piece reaches its peak intensity. The shift from sparse to full orchestration deserves dynamic clarity and ensemble precision.
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or standalone feature that demonstrates your band's versatility and contemporary thinking. It pairs well alongside standard concert fare, offering a refreshing contrast in compositional language and subject matter. The piece also works beautifully as a teaching concert piece, where you can invite the audience into the process by explaining the aleatoric section and the collaborative nature of the composition.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing aleatoric notation and improvising within compositional parameters
- Identifying and performing imitative passages across multiple voices
- Understanding additive compositional processes through performance
- Articulation control and dynamic shaping in contemporary contexts
- Ensemble balance and texture awareness in layered writing