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Rising Dragons: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

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Rising Dragons Cover Image

Rising Dragons: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

By Robert W. Smith

Grade: 4.5 (Medium to Medium Advanced)

Item: 00-24783

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Description
Commissioned by the Korean Navy Symphonic Band under the direction of Lt. Commander Joon Hyung Park, Rising Dragons pays tribute to the legacy of Yi Sun Shin and his impact on naval operations throughout the world. Beginning with a commanding fanfare, the authoritative statement gives way to the lone flute representing the solitude and reflection that any great leader must endure. The mechanized sounds of the turtle ships are brought to musical life through melody that rises and falls like the sea. The sea battle is depicted with opposing forces of percussion giving way to a final victorious fanfare. A line from a poem written by Yi Sun Shin inspires the title: "I call to the sea, and the dragons are moved."

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Rising Dragons: 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: Belwin Symphonic Band
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 374
UPC: 038081277332
SKU: 00-24783

More about this title

About the Composer: Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith stands among America's most frequently performed composers for band and orchestra, with over 400 published works to his credit. Educated at Troy State University and the University of Miami, he has built a career marked by genuine connection between composer and performer; his symphonies The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey have circulated globally, and works like The Tempest anchored themselves into the standard band repertoire.

Beyond the page, Smith has conducted and taught across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His music has graced television broadcasts, Olympic ceremonies, and iconic American events from the Macy's parade to Opening Day at Dodger Stadium, demonstrating a gift for writing that speaks equally to musicians in rehearsal and audiences in the concert hall.

Why we love this

This score delivers the kind of programmatic storytelling that anchors a concert without sacrificing musical substance. The structure moves with real inevitability, from the commanding opening through reflective solo work and into the visceral depiction of naval combat, giving your band a narrative arc that players can sink their teeth into and audiences will follow without a program note.

What to expect

Heroic and introspective in turns, the piece moves from solemn military bearing to intimate vulnerability before erupting into chaos and triumph. You experience the weight of command, the vast loneliness of leadership, and the primal force of battle rendered in concert band colors.

Who it's for

Bands at the 4.5 level working toward contest or concert programming that demands both technical polish and expressive maturity. This work rewards groups ready to handle substantial length and layered orchestration while keeping younger players engaged through narrative and dramatic pacing.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the opening fanfare with dynamic control rather than volume alone; the authority comes from rhythmic clarity and unanimous articulation across the ensemble.
  • Let the solo flute passage breathe. Resist the urge to rush the sustained notes; this meditation works only when the band understands it as the emotional center of the piece.
  • Balance the turtle ship section carefully so the rising-and-falling melody registers over the rhythmic foundation; the percussion layers should support, not compete.
  • Build the percussion battle gradually. Bring in each opposing force deliberately so listeners hear the conflict develop, not simply crash on arrival.

How to use it

Position this as a centerpiece work on a concert focused on world cultures, military heritage, or narrative-driven band literature. Its length and dramatic scope work well alongside lighter openers and give your band a substantial anchor that justifies a full rehearsal schedule leading into performance.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustained dynamic control across long harmonic passages
  • Balance and blend in multi-layered orchestrations
  • Rhythmic precision in percussion writing with opposing meters or figures
  • Phrasing and breath management in soloistic passages
  • Responding to programmatic cues and emotional direction from the conductor

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