Red Giant: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Jorge L. Vargas
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0007603
$70.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Red Giant: Score | $10.00 | |
| Red Giant: Flute | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Oboe | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Bassoon | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 1st B-flat Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 2nd B-flat Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: B-flat Bass Clarinet | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: E-flat Alto Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 2nd E-flat Alto Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: B-flat Tenor Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: E-flat Baritone Saxophone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 1st B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 2nd B-flat Trumpet | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 1st F Horn | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 1st Trombone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 2nd Trombone | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Baritone T.C. | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Baritone B.C. | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Tuba | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Bells | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 1st Percussion | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: 2nd Percussion | $3.00 | |
| Red Giant: Timpani | $3.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
This work depicts a dying star in its final stages of existence, when it expands and engulfs everything in its path. With accidentals, dissonances, and unique chord structures, this is a fast-paced musical ride that is perfect for developing bands!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Red Giant: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
250
SKU:
00-PK-0007603
More about this title
About the Composer: Jorge L. Vargas
Jorge L. Vargas was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and holds degrees in Music Education from The University of Texas-San Antonio and in Education from Lamar University. His compositions and arrangements span concert band, marching band, string orchestra, and mariachi ensemble, with works regularly appearing on state and festival lists.
Varigas has taught at Memorial Junior High in Eagle Pass, Texas, where he directs the concert band and mariachi group while coordinating beginner classes. His music has earned recognition on the J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice list and Bandworld Magazine's Top 100, and several pieces have been featured at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
Why we love this
Red Giant delivers genuine musical drama without overcomplicating the ensemble's technical demands. Vargas constructs tension through harmonic color and rhythmic drive rather than register-based extremes, making this accessible Grade 2 work feel sophisticated and contest-ready. The programmatic concept (a dying star expanding and consuming) gives your students a visceral image to play toward, which transforms mechanical precision into purposeful storytelling.
What to expect
Red Giant pulls you into a cosmic journey that feels both urgent and destructive. The dissonant harmonies and angular chord structures create unease; the relentless forward momentum mirrors collapse and expansion simultaneously. This is music that feels cinematic and contemporary, yet entirely playable by a young ensemble.
Who it's for
This score works well for developing concert bands eager to program something beyond standard Grade 2 fare. Directors seeking a piece that challenges harmonic understanding and ensemble cohesion without excessive technical difficulty will find a strong fit here.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the dissonances carefully so they register as intentional color rather than ensemble inaccuracy. Younger players often soften unexpected intervals reflexively; encourage them to voice these moments with the same confidence they bring to traditional harmonies.
- Use the rapid harmonic shifts and accidentals as rehearsal landmarks. Marking these moments on the score helps the ensemble recognize structural signposts and maintains clarity during the fast-paced sections.
- Shape dynamics around the expanding imagery. A gradual crescendo from the opening to a climactic tutti reinforces the star's expansion and makes the final moments land with maximum impact.
How to use it
Program this in the first half of a concert where you want to establish that your band tackles modern, substantive work. The Grade 2 designation makes it accessible, but the programmatic depth and harmonic language signal growth and sophistication. It pairs well with a contrasting selection from the classical or romantic repertoire.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing altered chords and chromatic accidentals
- Balancing dissonance without sacrificing intonation
- Maintaining rhythmic precision through fast-paced sections with harmonic changes
- Connecting programmatic imagery to musical expression and dynamics
- Listening for individual voice independence within complex harmonic textures