Tahiti Trot: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$87.00 USD

Tahiti Trot: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Tahiti Trot: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-30828
Price: 87.00 USD
Availability: InStock

After "Tea for Two" by Vincent Youmans

Arr. Dmitri Shostakovich, transcr. Jerry Brubaker

Grade: 4 (Medium)

Item: 00-30828

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Borrowing melodic material from "Tea for Two," Dmitri Shostakovich's Tahiti Trott explores the familiar tune in a variety of settings based upon the characteristic fox trot form. Published originally in 1926, the creation was a challenge issued by conductor Nickolai Malko to orchestrate it in less than an hour. Leaving time for a cup of tea, Shostakovich completed it in 45 minutes! You'll be thrilled with the ultra-musical outcome! (3:52)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Tahiti Trot: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Pop Symphonic Band

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 196

UPC: 038081352404

SKU: 00-30828

More about this title

About the Arranger: Dmitri Shostakovich

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) was a Soviet composer of towering significance whose works span symphonies, concertos, string quartets, and film scores. His output combined modernist harmonic language with deeply Russian sensibilities, always grounded in melody and dramatic substance. Beyond his symphonic legacy, Shostakovich proved himself a brilliant orchestrator and arranger, often working at lightning speed and with playful ingenuity.

Tahiti Trot exemplifies this lighter side of Shostakovich's artistry. Composed in 1926 as an impromptu response to conductor Nikolai Malko's wager that he could not orchestrate a popular tune within an hour, the piece reveals how Shostakovich could take a borrowed melody and transform it through clever orchestration, harmonic sophistication, and rhythmic wit. What began as a 45-minute exercise became a concert favorite that exposes students to the craft of professional arrangement and the expressive potential hidden in familiar material.

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Why we love this

This arrangement brings Concert Band students face-to-face with how a master orchestrator treats a pop tune. Shostakovich's harmonic language and sectional writing reveal layers of sophistication that students can hear immediately, making the piece both accessible and musically rewarding. The fox trot framework gives conductors a rhythmically engaging work that holds ensemble focus across nearly four minutes.

What to expect

Witty, elegant, and surprisingly urbane. The fox trot pulse locks you into a ballroom swagger while Shostakovich's harmonic touches and orchestral colors hint at deeper sophistication. There is joy in this piece, a lighthearted confidence that a great composer can make a pop melody sing without sacrificing musical substance.

Who it's for

Concert bands at the Grade 4 level with balanced instrumentation and solid rhythmic cohesion. Directors seeking a 20th-century masterwork that feels fresh and entertaining rather than heavy will find this ideal for mixed-ability ensembles that respond well to clear melodic writing and rhythmic clarity.

How to get the most out of it

Anchor the fox trot rhythm in the lower reeds and brass. The characteristic one-beat-per-measure pulse should feel smooth and propulsive, not square or mechanical.
Balance the melodic material across different sections. Since the "Tea for Two" tune moves between instruments, ensure listeners can follow it without any single part dominating.
Shape phrase endings with the ensemble's dynamic support. Shostakovich's orchestration often clusters harmonies in surprising ways; slight releases at phrase boundaries keep the ear engaged.
Let articulation distinctions breathe. The piece shifts between staccato, legato, and marcato figures; clean execution of these contrasts drives the musical humor and momentum.

How to use it

Program this alongside other 20th-century lighter works to show range within the modern repertoire, or pair it with a heavier Shostakovich orchestral piece to frame his versatility. At just under four minutes, it works beautifully as a concert opener or as an intermission bridge between two more substantial works.