The Escape of the Shadow Men: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Barry E. Kopetz
Grade: 1.5 (Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0001255
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Description
The Escape of the Shadow Men musically creates a scene from the composer's novel In the Land of the Lochrians. This exciting and dramatic work represents many thrilling moments in a race to confrontation! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Escape of the Shadow Men: 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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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Debut Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
63
SKU:
00-PK-0001255
More about this title
About the Composer: Barry E. Kopetz
Barry E. Kopetz has taught conducting and composition at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he directs the Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds ensembles. His academic background includes degrees from Ohio State University and Indiana University, along with advanced conducting study with Frederick Fennell in Tokyo. Kopetz has served on the faculty at the University of Utah, the University of Minnesota, and Bowling Green State University, and worked in public school music programs across Ohio and South Carolina.
As a composer and arranger with over 50 published works, Kopetz brings orchestration experience from television and film projects to his band compositions. He maintains an active career as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout the United States and Australia, and contributes analytical articles on standard band repertoire to Instrumentalist magazine. He was elected to membership in the American Bandmasters Association in 1998.
Why we love this
Kopetz crafts a dramatic narrative arc that works brilliantly at Grade 1.5, where excitement and musicality often compete for space. The piece pulls students into a vivid fictional world without requiring virtuosity, so your band can focus on theatrical expression, phrasing, and ensemble control rather than technical challenge. It's the kind of work that reminds young musicians why they chose band in the first place.
What to expect
The music captures the urgency and intrigue of a chase scene, with moments that feel both cinematic and grounded in solid compositional craftsmanship. Tension builds and releases in ways that keep listeners engaged while giving musicians clear landmarks to play toward.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 1 to 1.5 level will find this work accessible without sacrificing substance. Directors seeking a dramatic concert or festival selection that engages students' imaginations while respecting their current skill level will find this ideal.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the dramatic moments with clear dynamic contrast; resist the temptation to play everything at full volume and instead let the peaks land harder when the valleys are genuinely quieter.
- Balance the narrative pacing by maintaining consistent tempo; sudden shifts in character should come from articulation and intensity, not from rushing or dragging.
- Give percussion students ownership of the atmospheric details; timpani, cymbals, and bass drum patterns often carry the dramatic tension in works like this, so rehearse them separately and celebrate their contribution.
How to use it
Program this as a standout second or third selection on a concert, where its dramatic flair and moderate difficulty create a satisfying showcase for a developing ensemble. It pairs well with lighter novelty pieces or classical transcriptions on the same program, giving your audience both substance and spectacle.
Skills your students will build
- Dynamic contrast and theatrical phrasing
- Maintaining steady tempo through character changes
- Ensemble balance across sectional entrances
- Responding to dramatic narrative in instrumental music