The Relentless Warrior: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

The 7/8 meter combined with a propulsive ostinato creates genuine rhythmic excitement without requiring advanced technical facility from players. Wasson structures the piece so that younger ensembles can perform something genuinely dramatic and energized, which keeps students engaged during rehearsals and delivers real impact in performance.

Propulsive and focused, like watching a determined figure move steadily toward a goal despite shifting obstacles. The relentless ostinato creates a sense of purpose and drive, while the shifting textures around it suggest struggle and drama, culminating in a hard-won victory.

Grade 3 bands seeking a concert or contest piece that combines rhythmic sophistication with accessible ranges and technical demands. Directors who want their ensembles to experience success with non-traditional meters while performing something with genuine character and forward momentum.

• Establish the ostinato as the heartbeat of the piece during sectional rehearsals. Have the rhythm section and bass voices lock the pattern in place before adding melodic layers, so that all textural changes feel grounded rather than chaotic.
• Clarify the 7/8 pulse early by conducting it cleanly and having students count internally during the first rehearsal run-through. Mark the subdivision in parts if students struggle to feel the meter's shape.
• Shape the dynamic and textural ebbs and flows to suggest the narrative arc of the battle. Let moments of relative transparency contrast with the fuller, more driving sections to help the ensemble understand the "ebb and flow" the composer intended.
• Push the final major chord and ostinato to a real climax. The victory landing needs conviction from the ensemble to feel earned after the piece's journey.

This works well as a concert opener that captures attention immediately, or as a centerpiece that shows off your ensemble's rhythmic confidence to an audience. It pairs effectively with lyrical or contrasting repertoire, since its driving character and narrative arc make it a natural focal point in a program.

• Reading and performing in mixed meters (7/8 with implied subdivisions)
• Maintaining rhythmic precision within a driving ostinato framework
• Following textural changes and dynamic shaping that support narrative arc
• Ensemble balance when transitioning between transparent and densely voiced sections