Tico Tico: Brass Ensemble Score & Parts

Marlatt's scoring turns a beloved melody into a genuine showcase for your section's range and personality. The optional high passages and flexible trumpet doubling let you highlight your strongest players without overshadowing the ensemble sound, and the Latin groove is infectious enough to get audiences moving even before the final note lands.

Warm, celebratory, and irresistibly groovy. The arrangement captures the sun-drenched confidence of Brazilian music while keeping the energy high enough to sustain audience attention from the opening phrase through the final punctuation.

Brass ensembles with solid fundamentals and at least one strong lead trumpet capable of handling the feature role with style. The scoring accommodates groups of different sizes since the optional piccolo trumpet and multiple trumpet doublings give you flexibility, making it workable whether you have a full section or are doubling parts.

• Lock the rhythm section (tuba and percussion) first. The pocket they create is the foundation everything else rides on; without it, the high licks will feel disconnected rather than exciting.
• Emphasize the articulation contrast between the walking passages and the quick syncopated figures. Clear tongue separation on the faster material will make the arrangement sparkle.
• Let the solo trumpet breathe during optional lick passages. These moments work best when the player has agency over phrasing rather than being locked to a metronomic grid.
• Balance the flugel horn voicings carefully in the sustained sections. Their warmth can easily muddy if they're not sitting just below the trumpet lines.

Drop this into a concert as an encore or a palate-cleanser between heavier classical works. It also makes a strong festival selection where you want to showcase both technical facility and musicianship without programming something austere or overly virtuosic.

• Leading and accompanying within a large brass section
• Executing syncopated Latin rhythms with precision and groove
• Balancing solo work with ensemble responsibility
• Sustaining consistent intonation across multiple trumpet and flugel horn voicings
• Interpreting ornamental passages and optional high licks with stylistic integrity