The Gift of Giving: Tuba
(The Power of a Wish)
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PC-0019628_TB1
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Description
Unleash the power of music to inspire profound generosity and bring communities together! The Gift of Giving is a deeply moving work by Brian Balmages, who musically shares a selfless Make-A-Wish story that will touch hearts. Available for both band and orchestra, this piece isn't just music; it's an experience that supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation and reminds us all of humanity's beautiful capacity for compassion. (5:20)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Gift of Giving: Tuba 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:
MakeMusic Symphonic Band
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PC-0019628_TB1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages composes across orchestral, band, and chamber idioms with equal fluency, and his works have graced stages from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. His achievements include the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, first prize in the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and membership in the American Bandmasters Association. He has been commissioned by major institutions, conducted ensembles at the Midwest Clinic and College Band Directors Conference, and served music performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service.
Currently Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic, Balmages brings both compositional sophistication and deep knowledge of educational ensemble needs. His work spans from elementary school groups to professional orchestras, and he holds the distinguished alumni award from James Madison University's School of Visual and Performing Arts.
Why we love this
Balmages crafts a concert work that functions equally well as a programming centerpiece and as a teaching moment about purpose beyond the notes themselves. The Grade 3 accessibility means your students can focus on making genuine music rather than fighting technical barriers, and the connection to Make-A-Wish Foundation gives the performance real meaning. At 5:20, it's substantial enough for a concert but doesn't demand months of rehearsal from your ensemble.
What to expect
Warm, generous, and unforced. The music unfolds with sincerity rather than sentimentality, allowing listeners to feel the human story without melodrama. Moments of hope punctuate the narrative, building toward a sense of shared purpose and collective goodwill.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level looking for repertoire with genuine emotional weight and a cause larger than the music itself. This works beautifully for groups in all school settings and community ensembles that want their audience to leave thinking about something beyond technique or difficulty.
How to get the most out of it
- Build the emotional arc gradually across the early sections; resist the urge to give everything away in the first minute.
- Balance the melodic lines so that the moving parts support rather than compete with the primary voice.
- Let the ensemble breathe between phrases; this music asks for thoughtful silence as much as sound.
- Engage your students in conversations about the Make-A-Wish story before rehearsals begin; their understanding of the work's purpose will shape how they listen to and shape their own sound.
How to use it
Place this as the emotional anchor of a concert rather than filler between showpieces. Its moderate length makes it ideal for a spring pops concert, a benefit concert supporting community causes, or a program built around student choice and meaningful repertoire. You might pair it with lighter works on either side to let it breathe in the middle of your set list.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing melodic and supporting lines
- Shaping phrases with intentional breathing and silence
- Sustaining ensemble cohesion across longer, lyrical passages
- Connecting musical expression to programmatic meaning and context