The Forgotten Village: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Michael Oare
Grade: 1
Item: 35-PK00331361
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Description
This overture for second year players tells the musical story of Portsmouth Village, once a bustling sea village on North Carolina's Outer Banks, but now a ghost town with past glories only a memory. In this descriptive work, the slow and reflective opening leads to a vibrant faster section with driving rhythms and melodic lines passed from section to section. Dur: 2:45
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00331361
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Oare
Michael Oare combines decades of classroom experience with a prolific composing career rooted in the needs of young musicians. After earning degrees in composition and music education from Old Dominion University, he spent 33 years as Director of Bands at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia, where his ensembles earned superior ratings at state assessment for 32 consecutive years. His works for developing bands appear regularly in the GIA Publications Teaching Music Through Performance series, and his compositions reflect both technical craftsmanship and deep understanding of what students need to grow.
Beyond the classroom, Oare serves as conductor of the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Concert Band and performs with the Virginia Wind Symphony. He holds membership in ASCAP and Phi Beta Mu, and has earned recognition as a two-time recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence. When not composing or conducting, he explores the coastal waters of Virginia and North Carolina, an interest that clearly informs his descriptive musical writing.
Why we love this
Oare writes from genuine knowledge of what second-year students can achieve, and this overture proves it. The piece balances narrative ambition with accessible writing; the reflective opening gives students time to settle into expressive playing before the tempo shifts and energizes the ensemble, creating a satisfying arc that feels like genuine progress within a single work rather than two disconnected sections.
What to expect
The opening evokes stillness and memory, with sparse textures and contemplative pacing that invites listeners into an abandoned place. When the tempo lifts and rhythmic energy enters, the piece brightens with character and movement, painting a vivid contrast between past and present.
Who it's for
Second-year concert band students who are ready to move beyond exercises and into genuinely musical storytelling. Directors seeking a Grade 1 work that delivers real artistic content without oversimplifying the writing.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening reflective section with long phrase lines; young players often rush quiet passages, so anchor the tempo through the low brass and let melodic voices bloom from that foundation.
- Mark the transition to the faster section clearly in rehearsal, as the shift from contemplative to driving creates a dramatic lift that needs ensemble awareness to land together.
- Pass each melodic statement between sections deliberately. Clarity of voice independence matters here; the piece tells its story through dialogue, so balance and release are as important as articulation.
How to use it
Open a concert with this overture to set a thematic tone around local or regional history; its relatively brief duration works well as a companion to longer works on the same program. The programmatic content also pairs naturally with visual elements, making it suitable for assemblies or events celebrating community heritage.
Skills your students will build
- Phrasing and breath control in slow, lyrical passages
- Sectional balance and blend across instrument families
- Tempo contrast and the musical technique of transition
- Following conductor gesture and ensemble unity during tonal shifts
- Sustained tone production at soft dynamic levels