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Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

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Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist Cover Image
Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

By Timothy Loest

Grade: 1

Item: 00-50995
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Description
Experience the paranormal in this spine-tingling work by Timothy Loest that includes spooky sound effects, unexplained noises that interrupt frightful melodies, and even a hint of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain". Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist is destined to be the hit of your fall or spring concert. Simply suspenseful, yet delightfully dreadful! (1:45)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Pranks of the Pesky Poltergeist: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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 Developing Band
Publisher: MakeMusic Publications
ISBN10: 1-4706-6528-X
ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6528-9
UPC: 038081583518
SKU: 00-50995

More about this title

About the Composer: Timothy Loest

Timothy Loest

Timothy Loest has shaped instrumental music education across three decades of classroom teaching while building an international reputation as a composer of accessible, engaging works for young ensembles. His compositions are performed worldwide, and his contributions to pedagogical methods like Measures of Success® and the Beyond series have influenced how countless directors teach musicianship alongside technique. In 2017, his composition Cloud Gate drew over 5,000 spectators at Chicago's Millennium Park, and that same year he received the Illinois Grade School Music Association's Cloyd Myers Memorial Award for Excellence in Music Education.

Since his first publication in 1995, Loest has written for major publishers including Warner Bros., C.L. Barnhouse, FJH Music, and MakeMusic. His music has reached television audiences on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, and other network programs. In 2022, he founded Fanfare Music Press to focus on high-quality band compositions and arrangements. A graduate of Illinois State University and Northwestern University, Loest holds ASCAP membership and continues to accept commissions for band works.

Why we love this

Loest understands what makes a piece stick with young musicians and audiences alike. The spooky narrative, strategic humor, and musical sophistication (including that Mussorgsky reference) create a concert moment that students genuinely enjoy rehearsing and audiences remember. At Grade 1, it delivers genuine theatrical impact without overwhelming developing ensembles.

What to expect

Playful mischief mixed with genuine creepiness. The piece builds paranormal atmosphere through unexpected noises and unsettling passages, then pulls back to show you the joke, creating that delicious tension between scary and silly that young musicians can explore and enjoy.

Who it's for

Grade 1 concert band directors seeking a Halloween or fall concert opener that genuinely engages both students and audiences without demanding advanced technique. This works equally well for spring programming when you want theatrical fun without heavy dramatic weight.

How to get the most out of it

  • Isolate the sound effect moments in sectional rehearsals so brass and woodwinds understand their role in building tension between the interruptions.
  • Experiment with stage placement during the Mussorgsky section to create physical space that mirrors the supernatural elements in the score.
  • Rehearse the transitions back to melody after each "prank" separately; these moments define the piece's comedic timing.
  • Record a full run-through before concert week to identify balance issues in the spooky passages, where certain timbres can easily overshadow the main themes.

How to use it

Open your Halloween concert with this piece to set a fun, slightly spooky tone while your ensemble is fresh. Its 1:45 length makes it a perfect contrast to a heavier ballad or march that follows, and audiences will still be smiling through the next selection.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading articulation changes and staccato/legato contrasts
  • Responding to conductor cues for sudden dynamic shifts and rhythmic interruptions
  • Balancing ensemble sound during sustained passages and solos
  • Maintaining ensemble focus while executing coordinated rhythmic entrances
  • Interpreting stylistic variety from standard melodies to chromatic spooky passages

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