The Tears of Arizona: Score
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 1.5
Item: 98-DB1680S
$11.00
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Description
Commissioned to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, this piece takes a unique approach and focuses on the small amounts of oil (often referred to as the "tears of Arizona") that continue to leak out of the USS Arizona. The music begins very solemnly, referring to the tears that continue to be shed daily by the sunken ship. The following section (“The Pride of Arizona”) moves past the tears and to the pride of the crew members and the feeling of the "spirit of Aloha." Percussion loosely imitates the groove of a luau, yet is juxtaposed with moments of pause and reflection. The final statement feels incomplete, reminding the audience that the tears have not stopped flowing.
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Developing Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DB1680S
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal fluency. His works have been performed by ensembles ranging from professional symphony orchestras to elementary school bands in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light, and holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association.
Balmages brings significant institutional recognition to his work. He received the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Visual and Performing Arts and was later commissioned by the University of Miami to compose for the inauguration of its 6th president. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. As a conductor, he maintains regular engagements with all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide, with notable guest conducting appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and numerous international conferences.
Why we love this
This is a rare concert band piece that honors historical significance without sacrificing musical sophistication or accessibility. Balmages balances profound respect for the subject matter with engaging, teachable music that works at 1.5 grade level; the emotional arc and structural clarity make it memorable for both students and audiences, while the contest/festival designation means it performs well in competitive settings. The shift from solemn reflection into the "Pride of Arizona" section with its rhythmic vitality gives students genuine musical contrast to shape and interpret.
What to expect
The opening unfolds with quiet, sustained gravity, evoking both the physical leak of oil from the sunken ship and the ongoing emotional toll of loss. As the music shifts toward pride and the spirit of Aloha, a rhythmic vitality emerges, creating a dialogue between mourning and resilience that feels neither saccharine nor heavy-handed. The ending retreats into incompleteness, leaving listeners with a sense of perpetual remembrance rather than closure.
Who it's for
Developing concert bands and high school groups seeking meaningful patriotic repertoire that doesn't rely on flag-waving sentimentality. This piece works especially well for bands committed to programming music with historical or commemorative purpose, or for ensembles preparing contest/festival repertoire that demands interpretive maturity alongside technical accessibility.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the opening's sustained solemnity through careful control of ensemble blend and intonation; any tonal wavering undermines the commemorative weight of the opening section.
- In the "Pride of Arizona" section, clarify the percussion's luau-inspired groove so it sits rhythmically beside, not buried under, the band's harmonic statements.
- Shape the moments of pause and reflection as intentional silences; resist the urge to fill them, as they mirror the contemplative structure of the overall arc.
- Approach the incomplete final statement as a deliberate compositional choice rather than a lack of resolution; help students understand how Balmages uses this to reinforce the memorial's ongoing message.
How to use it
Program this during a fall or spring concert with thematic intentionality, perhaps pairing it with other patriotic or commemorative works that explore different historical moments or expressions of national identity. Its Grade 1.5 accessibility makes it an excellent selection for a contest or festival where the band needs a substantive, emotionally mature piece that still allows younger or developing ensembles to compete successfully. The piece also serves well as an educational centerpiece for discussing Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and how composers approach historical subjects through music.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long tones with consistent intonation and tone quality
- Balancing ensemble sound across changing textures and dynamics
- Responding to rubato and interpretive pacing from the conductor
- Understanding how compositional silence and incompleteness serve musical meaning
- Playing rhythmic grooves (luau-inspired percussion) alongside sustained harmonic movement