Shark Attack!: Concert Band Conductor Score

Playful and deliberate. The title signals fun, but the musical architecture is serious about its pedagogical mission. When the attacks land, students feel the power of their collective choice, even when that choice breaks conventional rules.

Grade 1 concert bands ready to move beyond traditional harmonic language and explore how composers use dissonance. Directors programming their first contemporary piece or seeking an approachable entry point to dissonant harmony will find a solid teaching tool here.

• Prepare students for the "attack" sections by discussing what note they'll play before rehearsal begins. This eliminates confusion and lets them focus on executing four clean counts together.
• Balance the dissonant sections carefully. These moments aren't meant to sound muddy; students should hear the individual pitches they're contributing to the texture.
• Use the transitions into and out of the attacks as opportunities to reinforce ensemble precision. Clean attacks and releases matter as much as the sustained notes themselves.

Open a concert with this piece to immediately signal that your band explores musical territory beyond the expected. Its engaging title and brief length make it an excellent standalone opener that captures audience attention before you transition into longer or more traditional works.

• Recognizing and performing dissonant harmonies
• Sustaining long notes with rhythmic precision (four-count holds)
• Making purposeful ensemble choices within unconventional harmonic contexts
• Listening for balance and blend in non-tertian chord structures