The Haunted Carousel: Concert Band Conductor Score

This is the piece that won the NBA's Young Band Composition Contest for good reason: Svanoe balances genuine musical sophistication with the accessibility that Grade 3 bands need. The theremin concept sounds gimmicky on paper but lands as genuinely unsettling and atmospheric because the orchestration supports it completely. Your students will remember this arrangement long after Halloween ends.

Eerie and immersive, with the quality of an old horror film score reimagined for live ensemble. The music conjures circling motion and unsettling calm rather than overt scariness, giving students a sophisticated model for how concert music can evoke mood without melodrama.

Grade 3 concert bands with solid rhythmic fundamentals and the ability to execute clean dynamics across the full ensemble. Directors seeking a contemporary piece with genuine artistic merit that also engages audiences and fits autumn programming. Bands interested in exploring electronic sound integration in a practical, flexible way.

• Treat the theremin part as a character in the ensemble, not as background. Even though the iPad part is optional, its presence changes the entire psychological effect. If you perform it, invest in amplification that lets the sound float above the band without overwhelming it.
• Lock the rhythm section early. The piece's eerie quality depends on steady pulse and clean rhythmic precision from percussion and low brass; any rushing or dragging breaks the spell.
• Bring out the melodic doublings in your horn and clarinet sections. The theremin may carry the primary unsettling line, but the band instruments need to support and reinforce it so the music feels cohesive rather than layered.
• Balance dynamic control with character. Grade 3 bands often default to either too much volume or too little air. This piece needs genuine soft playing with focus, and bright moments that contrast without losing the darker mood.

Use this as the centerpiece of a fall or Halloween concert, programming it alongside lighter fare to create dramatic contrast. It also works well in a contemporary music showcase or as a feature for a young band festival, where judges and audiences will recognize its compositional integrity.

• Sustaining soft, controlled dynamics across extended passages
• Rhythmic precision in unison and ensemble contexts
• Balance and blend when supporting electronic or synthesized sound
• Interpretation of atmospheric and mood-driven musical writing
• Focus and ensemble awareness in pieces that rely on color over traditional melody