Raven (The Trickster) (arr. Robert Buckley): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Bob Baker / Arranged by Robert Buckley
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00468194
$75.00
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Description
From a song shared by Squamish First Nation artist and performer Bob Baker, comes this distinctive work for concert band shaped by Robert Buckley that will allow your students to experience the music of one of North America's First Peoples. "Raven" flows from a playful pentatonic melody and uses falloffs to imitate the original vocal style of the Eagle Song Dancers.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00468194
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Baker
Bob Baker is a Squamish First Nation artist and performer whose work centers the musical traditions and cultural voice of the Coast Salish peoples. His compositions and arrangements draw from traditional songs and performance practices, bringing Indigenous music to concert settings where it can reach new audiences and be experienced authentically by musicians of all backgrounds.
Why we love this
Buckley's arrangement captures something genuinely different from the typical Grade 3 concert band fare. The pentatonic melody and falloff figures feel organic rather than imposed, and students will engage with music that asks them to listen across cultural traditions while the Grade 3 scoring keeps the technical demands reasonable.
What to expect
Playful and slightly mischievous, with the shimmer of pentatonic melodies that feel both ancient and immediately recognizable. The falloffs create a conversational quality, as if the band is echoing back something it has just heard, lending the piece a sense of call and response that keeps listeners alert.
Who it's for
Directors building programs that honor diverse musical voices and cultural perspectives, and any ensemble looking for accessible repertoire with genuine substance. This works equally well for festival entries, concert programming, or as a teaching moment about music beyond the European classical tradition.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the falloffs with intentional air and slight pitch bend in the woodwinds and brass, treating them as stylistic echoes of the original vocal performance rather than technical ornaments.
- Balance the melody between sections carefully since the pentatonic framework means fewer harmonic anchors to cover ensemble blend issues.
- Let the playful character breathe; resist the urge to drive the tempo forward, as the Raven's trickster energy works through rhythmic pocket and articulation choices rather than speed.
How to use it
Pair this alongside other world music or cultural repertoire to create a concert section that showcases musical diversity, or position it mid-program as a tonal palette cleanser that surprises audiences with its infectious character. It also serves as an excellent festival piece that stands apart from the standard Grade 3 contest rotation.
Skills your students will build
- Executing falloff articulations with stylistic accuracy
- Balancing pentatonic melody lines with limited harmonic support
- Responding to cultural context when interpreting musical character
- Managing ensemble blend across simpler voicing