Symphony No. 1 for Brass: Brass Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Symphony No. 1 for Brass: Brass Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Symphony No. 1 for Brass: Brass Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-BR2001
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 5

Item: 98-BR2001

$50.00

Shipped

One moment…

This extensive work for 14-piece brass and percussion challenges your group technically, lyrically, and musically. The first movement introduces a fanfare and chorale that reappear later in the work. The lyrical second movement will show off the musicality of your group, while the fast pace and powerful coda of the third movement will thrill your audience.

Symphony No. 1 for Brass: Brass Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.

No sample pages found.

No sample audio found.

No sample videos found.

Series: FJH Solo and Ensemble

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398204540

SKU: 98-BR2001

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built an international reputation composing across orchestral, band, and chamber idioms, with performances ranging from professional symphony orchestras to school ensembles in venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House. His accolades include the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and election to the American Bandmasters Association. He holds the James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award and was commissioned by the University of Miami to compose for the inauguration of its sixth president.

As a conductor, Balmages maintains active relationships with all-state, regional, university, and professional ensembles worldwide, with notable guest appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and national conferences of the ASBA and College Band Directors Conference. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

Show moreShow less

Why we love this

Balmages writes for brass with a compositional sophistication that respects the ensemble's technical capacity while delivering immediate musical rewards. The three-movement architecture gives your group substantive material to interpret, and the integration of fanfare and chorale across movements rewards careful score study and cohesive ensemble work.

What to expect

The first movement announces itself with ceremonial brass brilliance, settling into reflective chorale writing that establishes the thematic backbone. The second movement reveals the ensemble's lyrical capacity, creating space for genuine musical expression before the finale launches into propulsive rhythmic energy and a commanding conclusion.

Who it's for

This work is designed for Grade 5 brass ensembles with solid fundamentals and the stamina for a full three-movement symphony. Conductors seeking to program a substantial work that develops both technical control and musicality, while engaging audiences with clear structural architecture, will find this an excellent choice.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the opening fanfare so the chorale melody emerges clearly; excessive upper brass brightness will bury the thematic material that becomes structurally important later.
In the lyrical second movement, shape phrases across the bar line and encourage individual players to voice with warmth, not just accuracy. This movement is where personalities in the ensemble shine through.
Lock the rhythm section in the third movement's fast passages; precision in the lower brass and timpani anchors the ensemble and allows the fanfare material to land with maximum impact during the coda.

How to use it

Program this as the centerpiece of a concert devoted to brass repertoire, pairing it with shorter works to frame the symphony's scope and give audiences a full evening of the ensemble. The three-movement structure and dramatic arc also make it suitable as a season-opening or season-closing statement when you want to demonstrate your group's range and accomplishment.