Super (Em)Powers: Violin 1
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 3.5;4
Item: 98-PC-DOR5016_VN1
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Description
Written to honor United Sound, this piece recognizes that special needs students do not have to be identified by their deficits---rather, they can be identified by their "superpowers." It may be a student with Down Syndrome who is always able to make everyone smile, or a non-verbal student who teaches someone to listen in a different way. Celebrate these students with this full-on cinema-style superhero theme! The ultimate in performance flexibility, this piece can be performed in three different ensemble settings: concert band, traditional full orchestra or band and strings combined!
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Full Orchestra Plus
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DOR5016_VN1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages composes and conducts across orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal facility. His works have been commissioned and performed by professional symphony orchestras, university ensembles, and school groups in major venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light, and holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association.
Balmages was honored with the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award and was later commissioned by the University of Miami to compose music for the inauguration of the institution's 6th president. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. As a guest conductor, he regularly appears at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, College Band Directors Conference, state ASTA conferences, and ensembles throughout North America, Australia, and Europe. He serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
This piece captures genuine cinema-style superhero energy while centering an inclusive vision of what 'super' means. The programming flexibility (concert band, full orchestra, or hybrid instrumentation) means you can perform it with your current resources rather than rebuilding your arrangement. Most importantly, it gives you a joyful, musically substantive way to celebrate the strengths and gifts every student brings to your ensemble.
What to expect
Pure superhero action in musical form: bold brass fanfares, sweeping string lines, propulsive rhythms, and an infectious sense of triumph. The music captures the cinematic scale and heroism of classic superhero themes while maintaining clarity and accessibility across all instrument groups.
Who it's for
Orchestras, concert bands, and hybrid ensembles at the intermediate level (Grades 3.5-4) looking for repertoire with genuine inclusivity at its core. Directors seeking a piece that performs spectacularly while celebrating the diverse abilities and contributions of every student in the ensemble.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the heroic brass themes clearly in the mix; these carry the main melodic material and should cut through the full orchestration without overpowering the lower voices
- Keep the rhythmic pulse steady and confident, especially during faster passages, to maintain the propulsive comic-book energy the score demands
- Work the string and wind sections independently first to lock in their rhythmic and harmonic relationships before bringing them together with the brass
How to use it
This works beautifully as a concert opener or closer because of its high energy and immediate audience appeal. Program it alongside other celebratory or thematic work to frame a concert around resilience and community, or use it as the finale to a spring concert where the full ensemble can shine.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing independent melodic lines across brass, woodwind, and string sections
- Sustaining ensemble precision during rapid harmonic and rhythmic changes
- Responding to clear thematic material while maintaining part independence
- Collaborating effectively across traditional orchestral sections