Rise to Power: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Grice understands the psychological power of putting exciting music in young hands. Rise to Power delivers that rush of confidence your students need after spending weeks in the method book, and the writing is sophisticated enough that audiences hear craftsmanship, not training exercises. You get real concert success without the technical bottleneck.

Energetic and purposeful, with the kind of straightforward momentum that makes young players feel like accomplished musicians. The writing supports a youthful ensemble while delivering the confidence boost that comes from performing something with genuine musical weight.

Directors launching students into their first concert experience. This is ideal for a beginning band that has mastered fundamentals and needs a piece that sounds genuinely exciting without demanding virtuosity they haven't developed yet.

• Let the energy breathe in the opening; resist the urge to push tempo early. Younger ensembles often gain confidence gradually, and this piece gives you room to build momentum naturally across the first phrases.
• Balance the melody line clearly against supporting voices, especially if you have uneven section strength. Grice's voicing supports transparency, so a clear principal voice will carry the piece even if your lower sections are still developing.
• Emphasize rhythmic precision in the accompaniment figures rather than dynamic contrast. Clean articulation and steady pulse matter far more than trying to create dramatic swells your young musicians aren't ready for yet.

Program this as your concert centerpiece for the first performance of the year. It bridges the gap between method book exercises and serious repertoire, and gives your students a genuine accomplishment to carry forward into the rest of the season.

• Playing balanced section chords without relying on the method book's voice leading
• Maintaining ensemble tempo through sustained passages with minimal conductor guidance
• Articulating rhythmic accompaniment figures with clarity and consistency
• Projecting a melodic line that sits above harmonic support
• Building confidence through performance of music that sounds mature