The Forbidden Caverns: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Hilliard writes for the ensemble you actually have, not an idealized version of it. The extended alto sax solo is a gift to that section while remaining playable, and the dramatic harmonic language keeps the full band engaged throughout. This scores well at festivals without feeling like a contest piece forced into your concert.

Dark, theatrical storytelling that unfolds without bombast. The music evokes the legend's tension and mystery through harmonic color and the vulnerabilities in individual voices rather than sheer instrumental force.

Grade 3 bands with a capable alto sax player and enough maturity to handle sectional independence. This works equally well for festival preparation or a concert that needs dramatic anchor pieces alongside lighter fare.

• Give the alto sax soloist room to shape the rubato section expressively; resist the urge to lock it into a strict tempo until the ensemble re-enters.
• Balance the triadic harmonies clearly by letting mid-band voices cut through; brass players often need a reminder that fullness comes from transparency, not volume.
• Mark the dramatic peaks in your score so you can communicate them without constant verbal cueing during rehearsals.

Pair this as a centerpiece with contrasting material on the same concert; the rubato and dramatic arc demand audience focus, making it ideal for a program's turning point. Its six-and-a-half-minute length fits easily into most setlists without dominating.

• Balancing sectional independence within ensemble texture
• Responding to expressive, non-metered solo passages
• Sustaining harmonic color and pitch stability across longer formal structures
• Ensemble listening in thick, triadic harmony