The Wizard of Oz Meets The Wiz, Part 1: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts
Featuring: Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead / We're Off to See the Wizard / Merry Old Land of Oz
Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg / arr. Victor López
Grade: 3 (Medium)
Item: 00-PK-0007958
$60.00
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Description
We are proud to present the timeless music from The Wizard of Oz coupled with songs from The Wiz in a complete halftime show for your band. The opener is a collage of three songs from The Wizard of Oz. What a creative and fun arrangement! (2:28)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Wizard of Oz Meets The Wiz, Part 1: Marching Band Conductor Score & Parts 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:
Mega Sounds for Marching Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
208
SKU:
00-PK-0007958
More about this title
About the Composer: Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen (1905-1986) shaped American popular music across Broadway, film, and concert stages. His gift for melody and harmonic sophistication made standards like "Over the Rainbow" endure across generations; his work for The Wizard of Oz remains a cornerstone of American musical theater.
Arlen's compositional voice combines jazz inflection with Broadway grandeur, making his scores both accessible and musically substantial. For educators, his music rewards both straightforward interpretation and creative arranging, lending itself naturally to concert settings, pops programs, and crossover projects like this one.
Why we love this
Victor López's arrangement captures the essence of iconic Arlen melodies while building a halftime show that works as a unified narrative arc. Grade 3 bands gain immediate success with arrangements that honor the source material without demanding virtuosic chops, making this an ideal choice for programs balancing entertainment value with musicianship.
What to expect
The energy shifts between the whimsy of Oz's familiar tunes and the theatrical swagger of The Wiz's sound. Expect moments of lush nostalgia alongside contemporary groove, creating a halftime experience that honors both film classics and stage innovation.
Who it's for
This score suits marching bands looking for programming with broad audience appeal and narrative excitement. Conductors seeking halftime material that entertains without overshooting their ensemble's technical level will find a complete, well-crafted show here.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody across sections during the collage opener; clarity of line matters more than volume when connecting three distinct songs within a two-minute span.
- Mark the form clearly in your score so the band understands how each Wizard of Oz tune transitions. Visual cues during rehearsal prevent the flow from feeling fragmented.
- Pay attention to Arlen's chromatic voice-leading and jazz harmonies; even at Grade 3, these details lift the sound beyond a surface-level pop arrangement.
- Use the accompaniment recordings available separately to lock tempos and phrasing, especially where the collage demands rhythmic precision between sections.
How to use it
Reserve this for a halftime slot where your audience includes multi-generational attendees who recognize Oz immediately. The full show works as a concert opener or standalone event; the opener alone can anchor a lighter pop program if you're building a concert around Broadway and film music.
Skills your students will build
- Executing clean section transitions within a medley format
- Balancing melody and harmony when multiple tunes share similar accompaniment figures
- Interpreting jazz-inflected phrasing and chromatic movement in a marching context
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion during rapid tempo shifts between arranged selections