Sondheim! (arr. Stephen Bulla): Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Stephen Bulla's orchestration captures the theatrical intelligence of Sondheim's writing without softening it. This medley respects each song's distinctive character, from the dark comedy of Sweeney Todd to the vulnerability of "Send in the Clowns," giving your band material that sounds genuinely artistic rather than merely polished. The Grade 4 scoring keeps the ensemble engaged without sacrificing the sophistication that makes Sondheim's catalog so rewarding.

This medley travels from the sinister to the intimate, from witty and rhythmically playful to profoundly tender. Sondheim's gift for unexpected melody and clever text sets up moments of genuine emotional power, especially in the softer passages. Your audience will hear the sophistication and craftsmanship in every song.

Concert bands at the Grade 4 level with secure ensemble fundamentals and musicians ready for music that rewards careful attention to character and style. Directors seeking to program Broadway music that doesn't condescend to a student ensemble will find this essential.

• Attend to phrase shape carefully in "Send in the Clowns." This song breathes like a art song, not a march. Allow space between phrases and shape long lines with the restraint a solo vocalist would use.
• Balance the ensemble voicing in "Putting It Together." Bulla's orchestration gives melodic material to multiple sections. Ensure inner parts sing with the same care as the principal melody so the vertical harmony reads clearly.
• Establish the dark, unsettling mood of the Sweeney Todd section through consistent, precise articulation in the lower woodwinds and brass. Rhythmic clarity here prevents this music from sounding murky.
• Let the younger woodwinds enjoy the rhythmic play in "Children Will Listen." This moment should feel conversational and light, a deliberate contrast to surrounding sections.

Feature this as an entire concert section devoted to musical theater that matters, pairing it with classical or jazz selections that share similar harmonic or rhythmic sensibilities. The diversity of moods within the medley works beautifully as a program centerpiece, allowing you to showcase your band's range of musical expression in one extended work.

• Shaping long melodic phrases with narrative purpose
• Balancing inner voices while maintaining ensemble unity
• Responding to harmonic complexity and unexpected resolutions
• Translating theatrical character into instrumental expression
• Performing mixed metrical passages and syncopated rhythms with precision