Riders for the Flag: Score
By John Philip Sousa / ed. Frederick Fennell
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0002139
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Description
Dedicated to Colonel Osmun Latrobe and members of the Fourth U.S. Calvary, this march clearly reflects the patriotism so characteristic in Sousa's work. Complete with bugle calls in the trio, this stirring march is certain to attract attention. (2:26)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Riders for the Flag: Score 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:
Fennell Edition Marches for Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
132
SKU:
00-PR-0002139
More about this title
About the Composer: John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa (1854–1932) shaped the American concert band into a concert-hall institution. His marches, numbering over 130, became cultural touchstones that defined patriotic expression in music, and his leadership of the U.S. Marine Band elevated the ensemble from a military necessity to an artistic force. Sousa understood the band idiom completely: he wrote with technical sophistication while maintaining accessibility, and his orchestrations balance clarity with richness in ways that still reward careful listening.
Why we love this
This march sits at the sweet spot where accessibility meets genuine character. At Grade 3, it's manageable for developing ensembles, yet the bugle calls in the trio and the architectural confidence of Sousa's writing give students something real to perform, not just notes to get through. Directors find it programs beautifully for patriotic occasions without ever feeling thin or over-reliant on arrangements.
What to expect
Riders for the Flag radiates confidence and forward momentum. The opening establishes authority immediately, and when the bugle calls arrive in the trio, they cut through with authentic military character. There's genuine patriotic warmth here, not bombast; the piece respects both the occasion and the musicians performing it.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level looking for substantial patriotic repertoire that sounds bigger than its difficulty level. Music teachers and band directors preparing summer concerts or 4th of July festivals will find this piece both practical and genuinely rewarding to conduct.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the bugle calls in the trio with clarity; they deserve profile without overshadowing the harmonic foundation beneath them.
- Shape the march with subtle dynamic conversation between sections rather than treating each strain as identical. Sousa wrote variety into the material; let it breathe.
- Lock the tempo early in sectional rehearsals. This piece thrives on a steady, confident pulse; precision in the rhythm section makes the entire performance feel secure.
How to use it
Place this after a slower processional or lyrical work to recharge audience energy at a summer concert or Independence Day celebration. It pairs well with other American march repertoire, or you can feature it as a standalone patriotic statement. At 2:26, it's substantial enough to stand on its own without overstaying its welcome.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing texture between melody, harmony, and counter-melody
- Sustaining steady tempo through repetitive harmonic patterns
- Performing characteristic march articulation and phrasing
- Listening for and responding to bugle call figures