Presto!: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Sheldon has engineered a piece that captures the pure joy of early-year performance without sacrificing musicality or ensemble challenge. The five-note melody means students can play it confidently by October, yet the rapid eighth-note patterns rotating through the band keep technical demands high enough to engage developing musicians. Directors get a showpiece that energizes young players and audiences alike, with nearly two minutes of genuine musical material rather than filler.

Presto! radiates youthful exuberance. Rapid, bouncing eighth-note figures pass like a musical relay race from one section to another, propelling the piece forward with infectious momentum. The five-note theme sits above this energetic foundation like a bright beacon, unmistakable and celebratory.

This score and parts set works for first-year concert bands and young ensembles making their early attempts at longer concert repertoire. Students who have completed Book 1, Level 3 of Sound Innovations will find the demands match their skill level while offering genuine pride in preparation.

• Keep the eighth-note patterns crisp and articulated; they drive the entire piece. Slight shortening of note values gives the energy the title promises.
• Balance the repeating patterns against the main theme so the melody always cuts through. Resist the urge to let rhythmic figures overwhelm the tune.
• Use the recorded accompaniment in MakeMusic Cloud to help students lock in tempo and phrasing during sectional rehearsals.
• Shape the dynamic arc across the full 90 seconds so the piece builds naturally; avoid playing at full volume from bar one.

Program this as the opening number on a fall concert when students are still building confidence with longer works. Its brevity (90 seconds) and joyful character make it ideal for school assemblies or pep band contexts. Place it early in a mixed program to establish an upbeat mood and showcase the band's enthusiasm to families attending their first event of the year.

• Articulation clarity in rapid eighth-note passages
• Balance and texture awareness across rotating rhythmic figures
• Ensemble entrances and exits in a fast tempo
• Playing with stylistic consistency at brisk tempo markings
• Maintaining steady pulse while managing rapid note patterns