Rising Star: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Hazo resists the urge to fill space with busy figuration, instead trusting sustained lines and carefully placed harmonies to hold interest. The chorale-like texture creates natural teaching moments for balance and blend without requiring technical facility beyond reach, making every rehearsal productive.

Rising Star unfolds like a hymn sung by a young choir finding its voice. The writing is unhurried, allowing space for each melodic phrase to breathe while creating moments of subtle harmonic richness that reward careful listening.

Beginning bands at the grade 1 to 1.5 level benefit most from this score. The deliberate pacing and harmonic language make it ideal for ensembles still developing fundamental ensemble skills and independent musicianship.

• Shape each section's dynamic arc intentionally rather than playing it safe at mezzo-forte. Young players often fear commitment to contrast; model the expressive range you want to hear.
• Listen across the ensemble for how moving lines support each other. Independent parts only work when students understand they're not playing solo; they're weaving into a larger fabric.
• Let the 2:45 duration work in your favor during rehearsal. Use multiple run-throughs to build stamina and consistency without the fatigue that longer pieces demand.

Open a concert with this piece to establish an atmosphere of lyrical focus before moving into more energetic works. Its modest demands leave mental energy for programming challenges that follow, and its intrinsic beauty signals to audiences that young musicians deserve serious musical experiences.

• Sustaining long tones with consistent tone quality and intonation
• Balancing independent melodic lines within harmonic progressions
• Controlling dynamic shaping across entire phrases
• Listening for blend and adjusting volume accordingly
• Reading and maintaining steady quarter-note pulse with minimal rhythmic complexity