Prohibition Era March (arr. Clarence Barber): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Roaring Twenties energy filtered through a concert band lens. There's a lightheartedness and clever orchestration that feels more like a speakeasy than a parade, with the xylophone solo adding a moment of shimmering sophistication.

Concert bands looking to program something with genuine historical flavor and personality. This works well for groups seeking marches that move beyond the standard patriotic or ceremonial repertoire, especially those who enjoy the sass of early jazz and popular music idioms.

• Lean into the rhythmic swagger of the opening. This isn't a stiff ceremonial march; let the syncopation breathe and push the pocket slightly forward.
• If you're featuring the xylophone solo, give that student multiple rehearsals to lock in the part and build confidence. The spotlight is brief but needs to land cleanly.
• Balance the full band sections with clarity in the Trio. The xylophone line deserves a transparent texture around it, so watch your inner voice voicing.

Pair this with other pieces that capture American vernacular music to create a program themed around early twentieth-century songwriting and arranging. It makes an excellent opener or closer for a concert; the historical specificity and quirky charm give audiences something to talk about.

• Phrasing syncopated rhythms with groove rather than rigidity
• Supporting a featured soloist within ensemble texture
• Balancing transparency and fullness in ensemble writing
• Understanding march form with idiomatic popular music language