Presto!: Baritone T.C.
By Robert Sheldon
Grade: 0.5 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0016396_BTC1
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Description
This joyful, fast-paced composition for young band gives developing players an opportunity to show their spirit and enthusiasm for music. Rapid repeated eighth-note patterns provide an energetic texture as they are passed around the band. The catchy main theme uses only five notes, making this tune playable quite early in the year. (1:30) "Presto!" correlates to Book 1, Level 3 of Sound Innovations for Concert Band. 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, Presto!: Baritone T.C. 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:
Sound Innovations for Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
132
SKU:
00-PC-0016396_BTC1
More about this title
About the Composer: Robert Sheldon
Robert Sheldon stands among the most frequently performed composers of concert band music in schools today. His output spans original compositions, arrangements, and pedagogical works that have earned him recognition from the American School Band Directors Association, Phi Beta Mu, and ASCAP. Beyond the page, Sheldon maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor for All-State and Regional Honor Bands, clinician at universities and state music education conferences, and international ambassador who has led performances and workshops across the United States, Japan, Canada, Italy, Germany, Australia, and China.
Sheldon's compositions appear regularly on contest and concert programs worldwide, and his works have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Kennedy Center. He is the lead author of Sound Innovations for Concert Band, a comprehensive pedagogical series. In 2020, VanderCook College of Music awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contributions to music education.
Why we love this
A five-note melody removes the barrier that often trips up early-year programming. Young bands can sound confident and musical just weeks into the fall when they tackle this piece, and that confidence translates directly into engagement with their instruments. The repeated eighth-note figures give every section something active to play, so there is no idle listening during rehearsal.
What to expect
Presto! crackles with youth and joy. A relentless forward momentum comes from the repeated eighth-note texture bouncing between voices, while a lean, catchy melody cuts through the action with infectious clarity. The overall effect is bright, cheerful, and undeniably fun to play and hear.
Who it's for
Young concert bands in their first months of performance experience, particularly those ready to move beyond unison fundamentals into multi-part writing. Directors seeking a fast-moving, high-energy opener that builds ensemble confidence without technical complexity.
How to get the most out of it
- Keep the eighth-note patterns crisp and even; undercounting often causes these figures to drag, which flattens the energy that makes the piece work.
- Let the main theme breathe when it enters. With only five notes, clarity and phrasing do the heavy lifting to make the tune memorable.
- Assign the rapid figures to different sections strategically during rehearsal so every student learns the pattern and understands how it moves around the band.
- Shape the dynamic contours deliberately rather than playing everything at a surface level. Young players respond well to exaggerated crescendos and releases.
How to use it
Ideal as a season opener or festival opener that puts young players on stage with swagger and immediate musicality. Pair it with a contrasting ballad or march to show range in a single concert. The piece's brevity and upbeat character also make it excellent filler between longer works on a contest program.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining steady, precise eighth-note rhythms in ensemble context
- Following melodic ideas as they pass between instrumental choirs
- Balancing sustained harmony with active accompanimental texture
- Responding to basic dynamic shaping and phrasing cues
- Reading parts in concert band score layout