Short Cuts for Beginning Band -- Vol. 4: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Four complete pieces at Grade 1 difficulty gives you genuine end-of-year concert options without forcing you to cobble together isolated selections from different publishers. The focus on eighth-note literacy and percussion coordination means every band member is solving real technical problems while performing recognizable, engaging music that audiences actually enjoy hearing.

Contemporary and accessible, with melodic hooks that stick with audiences. The writing balances rhythmic clarity with the warmth of legato playing, giving young musicians a sense of musicianship beyond just accurate note-playing.

Beginning concert band programs preparing their first major concert. Conductors who need four cohesive pieces at the same difficulty level, all reinforcing the same technical priorities, make this an efficient choice for a full program or featured set within a longer concert.

• Work eighth-note articulation slowly with the full section before adding tempo; Story's writing relies on clean ensemble definition in these passages, and precision here elevates the entire performance.
• Have percussionists practice two-hand coordination exercises separately during warm-up; the coordination demands in this volume reward isolated skill work before ensemble rehearsal.
• Shape each phrase with dynamic contour rather than playing straight through at one volume level; even at Grade 1, legato performance means allowing the music to breathe.

Build your entire first concert around this volume, programming all four pieces as the core of your end-of-year show. Alternatively, use one or two pieces as featured selections while filling the remainder of the program with repertoire at a similar level from other sources.

• Eighth-note counting and subdivision
• Percussion two-hand coordination
• Legato phrasing and dynamic shaping
• Ensemble blend and balance across sections