Terracotta: Concert Band Conductor Score

$12.00 USD

Terracotta: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Terracotta: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1422S
Price: 12.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By William Owens

Grade: 1

Item: 98-B1422S

$12.00

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This stunning work portrays the Terracotta Army of ancient China - an army of lifelike statues consisting of over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 520 horses. Moments of discord and massive percussion symbolize the plight of the 700,000+ workers that took nearly 40 years to complete the project. Intense and epic, this work will be an unforgettable portion of your program!

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Series: FJH Beginning Band

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444492284

SKU: 98-B1422S

More about this title

About the Composer: William Owens

William Owens has spent decades building a reputation as one of the most prolific and practical composers for young bands. A VanderCook College of Music graduate and 30-year band director in Texas, he brings classroom experience to every score he writes; his catalog of over 300 works reflects a deep understanding of what young musicians need to succeed.

Owens has earned recognition from ASCAP, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and his alma mater as a Distinguished Alumnus. His compositions appear on contest lists and in educational texts across the country, proving that writing for beginning ensembles demands both craft and clarity. Now retired from classroom teaching, he remains active as a clinician and composer from his home in Fort Worth.

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Why we love this

Owens captures a cinematic narrative without sacrificing accessibility. A Grade 1 piece that handles complex imagery (700,000 workers, 40 years of labor, an army of 8,000 statues) means your beginning band gets to inhabit something genuinely ambitious. The percussion writing specifically grounds the emotional weight of the work, turning a historical concept into an experience your students will remember.

What to expect

Terracotta sweeps between moments of orderly precision and volcanic chaos, reflecting both the regimented thousands of statues and the brutal human cost beneath them. Your band will feel the shift from ancient grandeur to overwhelming labor, building intensity without requiring virtuosic technique.

Who it's for

Beginning concert bands looking for repertoire with genuine substance and a story to tell. This works for Grade 1 ensembles ready to engage with something beyond technical exercises, and it's sized perfectly for early-season programming when ensemble confidence is still building.

How to get the most out of it

Build the percussive momentum gradually in the opening sections; these players are carrying the historical weight of the piece, so clarity in their entrances matters more than volume.
Balance the discord moments carefully so they feel intentional and dramatic rather than sloppy. Young musicians sometimes rush dissonance; lock in the pulse first.
Let the contrasting moments breathe. If Owens moves from chaos to stillness, give that shift room to land.

How to use it

Open a concert with this piece to immediately establish an ambitious tone for your season. Its narrative arc makes it ideal for thematic programming around world history, ancient civilizations, or perseverance, and the Grade 1 level means you can feature it early while audiences are fresh and attentive.

Skills your students will build

Maintaining ensemble balance while executing contrasting dynamic and textural shifts
Responding to dissonance and discord as compositional choices rather than errors
Coordinating with percussion to create narrative momentum
Reading and executing Grade 1 material with musical intention