Solidarity!: Concert Band Conductor Score

Owens writes marches that feel genuinely contemporary without losing the genre's essential energy and clarity. The voicing here gives even developing bands the chance to experience full, resonant sonorities, which builds confidence faster than thinner arrangements allow. This is a piece your students will want to play again.

Solidarity! captures the vigor of a traditional march while speaking in a musical language that feels current and alive. The melodies stick with you, and the rhythmic momentum propels the ensemble forward with infectious energy. There's a confidence in the writing that lets even younger players feel like they're performing at a higher level than their skill alone might suggest.

Concert bands at the early intermediate level will find this march both achievable and genuinely satisfying to perform. Directors seeking contest or festival material that students enjoy rehearsing will recognize immediately why this piece has become a staple. The straightforward conductor score lets you focus on musical interpretation rather than deciphering complex orchestration.

• Keep the march tempo steady and decisive; Owens' rhythmic drive depends on strong time-keeping from the percussion section.
• Balance the melodic lines so the memorable themes cut through without the accompaniment fading into the background.
• Shape the dynamics phrase by phrase rather than holding back until the final section; the contemporary language rewards musical intention throughout.
• Allow the ensemble to breathe at natural breaks in the form; the pacing will feel fresher when sections connect organically rather than rushing through transitions.

Open a concert or festival performance with this march to set an engaging, upbeat tone. Pair it with a slower, more lyrical work to show your band's range, or nest it within a patriotic or pops program where its contemporary approach will stand out. The two-minute-fifteen duration makes it ideal for contest play or as a ceremonial opener at competitions.

• Balancing multiple melodic lines within a full ensemble texture
• Executing clean, articulate rhythms at a steady march tempo
• Shaping phrase contours in a contemporary harmonic language
• Responding to dynamic changes without losing rhythmic precision