Revenge of the Dust Bunnies for Band: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This piece proves that Grade 2 teaching material doesn't have to choose between solid pedagogy and genuine fun. The scenario is irresistible to middle school students, and Adams uses it as a vehicle for real musical learning: trombone glissandi get proper emphasis, the melody stays with you, and those percussion effects (especially the vacuum) create natural buy-in for instrumental detail work. You'll find yourself returning to it year after year because it accomplishes so much without feeling like a compromise.

Part suspense film, part bedroom comedy. The piece builds dread through instrumentation choices and rhythm before releasing tension with those mischievous trombone slides. It's whimsical without being juvenile, entertaining without sacrificing musical integrity.

First and second year bands that are ready to handle articulation contrasts and simple theatrical staging. The Grade 2 difficulty sits comfortably for developing ensembles while offering enough personality to keep experienced players engaged.

• Lock down the trombone glissandi during sectionals so they're confident enough to commit to the effect without rushing or sliding too slowly; the theatrical impact depends on confident execution.
• The vacuum effect matters more than you might think. Invest a few rehearsals in getting your percussion section comfortable with amplifying or layering that sound so it registers clearly in the hall.
• Balance the melody with the accompaniment by having non-melody players pull back slightly; a novelty piece lives or dies by how well the audience hears the story you're telling.
• Encourage your trombones to enjoy the glissandi section as a moment to show their section's personality and control, not just as comic relief.

This works beautifully as a spring concert opener or closer, where its humor and accessibility set a welcoming tone for your audience. It also functions as excellent motivation material when teaching glissandi technique to younger trombonists, since students actually want to nail something this memorable.

• Trombone glissandi technique and control
• Ensemble balance between melody and accompaniment
• Rhythmic precision in novelty effects
• Coordination of percussion for dramatic impact
• Sectional independence and confidence in Grade 2 textures