Sweet Like That: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Christopher Theofanidis
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00444415
$10.00
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Description
An outstanding addition to the BandQuest series, "Sweet like that" features low brass emphasis at the beginning and end, trap set, and other requests from students with whom Mr. Theofanidis workshopped the piece. This work is exuberant, joyful, and with a whiff of gospel; capsulizing the sound of the American street, instrumental doo-wop; an urban march. Free interdisciplinary curriculum for the piece is available for download at www.BandQuest.org: https://composersforum.org/bq-compositions/sweet-like-that/
Learn more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ComposersForum/search?query=christopher+theofanidis
BandQuest, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadable audio catalog.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00444415
More about this title
About the Composer: Christopher Theofanidis
Christopher Theofanidis is a contemporary American composer whose work spans orchestral, chamber, and band music. He has established himself as a thoughtful voice in new music while maintaining deep connections to music education through commissions and collaborations with student ensembles.
Theofanidis brings a collaborative approach to composition, actively engaging with the musicians and students who will perform his work. His involvement with BandQuest exemplifies this commitment; he workshopped Sweet Like That directly with student musicians, incorporating their input into the final piece to ensure it speaks authentically to young performers.
Why we love this
Theofanidis built this piece by listening to his student collaborators, which shows in every measure. The low brass get real musical work both as section and as soloists, trap set integration feels purposeful rather than decorative, and the overall energy captures something genuine about contemporary American musical culture without pretense. Programming this says something about what your band values.
What to expect
Joyful and exuberant, rooted in the swagger of urban American music. There's a gospel warmth underneath the forward motion, and the orchestration celebrates lower voices in ways that feel both fresh and historically grounded. It swings without being jazz, marches without being military.
Who it's for
Middle school and early high school bands seeking repertoire that feels current and respectful to their abilities. Ensembles that want to play music that emerged from genuine student input rather than top-down commissioning will find this especially rewarding.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the low brass breathe during their opening statements. This is not background sonority; it's the piece's primary voice, and intonation and blend matter most here.
- Balance the trap set presence carefully in rehearsal. Record a few run-throughs and listen to whether the rhythm section feels propulsive or cluttered from the audience perspective.
- Embrace the gospel inflections in the harmony and phrasing. This piece lives in the space between march and soul music, so avoid over-metronomic interpretation.
- Use the curriculum materials available through BandQuest to deepen students' understanding of American street music and doo-wop aesthetics. Context transforms performance.
How to use it
Schedule this for a spring concert where you want immediate audience connection and ensemble energy. Its accessible appeal pairs well alongside a traditional march and something more experimental, creating a program that shows range. The interdisciplinary curriculum also makes it ideal for a concert tied to a broader humanities unit on American culture and music.
Skills your students will build
- Stylistic flexibility in approaching gospel and soul inflections
- Low brass independence and blend as a featured section
- Rhythmic precision in ensemble with non-pitched percussion
- Phrasing and articulation that serves both march and lyrical moments
- Listening to and incorporating feedback into performance choices