Reaching For the Clouds!: 1st Trombone
By Richard L. Saucedo
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PC-0019796_TN1
$3.00
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Description
Start reaching for the clouds with this uplifting opener by Richard L. Saucedo that makes a bold and powerful statement! Expansive percussion writing adds to the energy while maracato and lyrical sections move toward a joyful key change and exciting ending. Get ready to supercharge your ensemble and have a ton of fun! (3:00)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Reaching For the Clouds!: 1st Trombone 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 Young Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PC-0019796_TN1
More about this title
About the Composer: Richard L. Saucedo
Richard L. Saucedo spent 31 years as Director of Bands and Chairman of the Performing Arts Department at Carmel High School in Indiana, where he built a program recognized at the highest levels of competition. His ensembles earned state, regional, and national titles across concert, jazz, and marching formats; Carmel's Wind Symphony performed at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival three times and claimed the Indiana state championship in 2013, while the Marching Greyhounds finished in the top ten at the Bands of America Grand National Championship for 17 consecutive years, winning national titles in 2005 and 2012.
Since retiring in 2013, Saucedo has remained deeply invested in music education as a freelance composer and arranger, a Senior Educational Consultant for Music for All and Bands of America, and the music ensemble coordinator for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He was honored as Indiana's Bandmaster of the Year in 1998-99, inducted into the Music for All Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame in 2022, and serves as Chief Judge Team Leader for Bands of America competitions. His works span marching bands, concert bands, choral groups, and orchestras.
Why we love this
Saucedo writes openers that actually feel like statements, not time-fillers. The percussion writing here is genuinely inventive for Grade 3, giving your rhythm section real responsibility without overcomplicating the front line. The architecture of the piece—moving from bold declaration through lyrical breathing space to a triumphant key change—teaches bands how pacing and contrast create impact.
What to expect
Optimistic and propulsive from the first measure. The piece radiates energy without exhausting your players; there's swagger in the opening, genuine breath room in the middle section, and authentic celebration in the final key change and coda.
Who it's for
Grade 3 concert bands that are ready for a piece with real personality and some textural sophistication. This works equally well for ensembles preparing for contests or festivals and those simply looking for a winning concert opener that builds confidence.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the maracato sections so the articulation feels crisp without sacrificing tone quality; these passages should snap without sounding thin or strained.
- Let the lyrical sections breathe between the energetic material. Conductors often rush here out of habit; shape these moments with genuine rubato and allow your ensemble to settle.
- Build toward the key change deliberately. This pivot is more effective when the preceding section feels grounded and controlled, creating real contrast when the key lifts.
- Feature your percussion front and center during the expansive passages. This ensemble will respond when the rhythm section has the confidence to drive the texture.
How to use it
Open a concert with this and you've already won the audience. At three minutes, it's the perfect length to establish mood and energy before moving into deeper repertoire. It also works beautifully as a festival or contest opener where you need impact and a quick reset before heavier literature.
Skills your students will build
- Controlling marcato articulation across sustained passages
- Balancing lyrical phrasing with technical precision
- Executing key modulations with harmonic clarity
- Supporting a percussion-driven texture while maintaining ensemble blend
- Building and releasing musical energy through structural contrast