Rise Like the Dawn: Tuba
By Barry Milner
Grade: 3.5
Item: 00-PC-0019767_TB1
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Description
Rise Like the Dawn, by Barry Milner, is a lyrical and majestic composition that showcases the expressive potential of the horn and trumpet through prominent solo passages at the beginning of the piece. With its soaring melodies and rich harmonies, this medium-difficult composition captures a sense of hope and triumph, building powerful and dynamic sections. Perfect for high school ensembles, it offers an opportunity for musicians to develop phrasing, articulation, and expressive playing while highlighting the interplay between the solo section at the beginning and the tutti band. An inspiring addition to any concert, festival, or assessment program!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Rise Like the Dawn: Tuba 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:
Alfred Concert Band Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PC-0019767_TB1
More about this title
About the Composer: Barry Milner
Barry Milner is a freelance composer whose concert band and orchestra works appear regularly on state festival and competition lists. His compositions, including "An Unending Legacy" and "In Honor of the Fallen" (published by Alfred), have earned recognition in The Instrumentalist, School Band and Orchestra Magazine, and on multiple occasions in JWPepper's editors' selections.
Millner has taught in the Eureka Springs School District in Arkansas while continuing to build his catalog of educational wind band literature. He is also composing for film and orchestral settings, drawing inspiration from travel to national parks and the natural world around him. More information about his work is available at www.barrymilner.com.
Why we love this
The opening solo dialogue between horn and trumpet immediately establishes this piece as something special. Milner crafts a composition that gives your soloists genuine moments to shine while building into a full ensemble sound that feels earned rather than automatic, making it equally rewarding to conduct and perform.
What to expect
The piece opens with intimate dialogue, as if two voices sharing something important, before gradually gathering strength and conviction. By its conclusion, the music has grown into something majestic and affirmative, filled with the energy of triumph without losing the lyrical warmth that made the opening so compelling.
Who it's for
High school concert bands seeking repertoire that develops expressive musicianship while maintaining accessibility at the Grade 3.5 level. Directors working with groups that have capable principal players in horn and trumpet will find this particularly valuable, as it rewards sectional leadership and gives soloists authentic collaborative moments within the ensemble sound.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the opening horn and trumpet solos so each line carries over the ensemble without requiring excessive volume; these passages thrive on clarity and warmth rather than projection.
- Shape the transition from solo writing to the full band texture deliberately; allow a slight ritard and breath to frame the shift, letting the soloists guide the ensemble into the tutti sections.
- Attend to articulation consistency within the section blocks; the homophonic passages later in the piece need unified tonguing to match the precision established in the lyrical opening.
- Shape phrases across the entire form rather than measure-by-measure; this piece breathes best when conductors think in longer arcs that mirror the "rise" implied in the title.
How to use it
Program this as a concert centerpiece that bridges lyrical and full ensemble contexts, or use it in a festival setting where the Grade 3.5 difficulty offers genuine musical substance without excessive technical demands. The combination of expressive solo work and building ensemble power makes it equally suited to spring concert programming or assessment events.
Skills your students will build
- Phrasing and breath management across longer melodic lines
- Expressive articulation differentiation (legato vs. marked)
- Dynamic control and ensemble balance in both solo and tutti textures
- Listening skills between featured soloists and supporting sections
- Musical storytelling through the progression from intimate to triumphant