Tico Tico: Woodwind Quintet, Conductor Score & Parts

David Marlatt's arrangement distributes the melodic content across all five players, making this piece genuinely collaborative rather than soloistic. The infectious groove and three-and-a-half-minute duration make it an audience favorite that doesn't demand excessive rehearsal time, freeing up your schedule for more challenging repertoire while still delivering a memorable concert moment.

Tico Tico radiates warmth and rhythmic vitality, pulling listeners into a sun-soaked, dance-filled atmosphere from the opening notes. The shared melody creates a sense of collective celebration, while the underlying groove maintains an irresistible forward motion that makes sitting still difficult.

Woodwind quintets at the intermediate to advanced level who want to program a piece with immediate audience appeal and clear melodic storytelling. This arrangement works equally well for quintets seeking to build their Latin music literacy or those looking for a crowd-pleasing encore that doesn't compromise musical substance.

• Commit fully to the groove and let the Latin rhythmic character permeate every phrase; this piece lives and dies by its infectious pulse, so lock the ensemble into a unified sense of swing and forward motion.
• Balance the melody rotation carefully as it passes between parts; each player should understand when they're carrying the line and when they're supporting texture, maintaining consistent voicing throughout.
• Use the recorded accompaniment (if available separately) during early rehearsals to internalize the harmonic pocket and rhythmic feel before working without it.
• Pay attention to articulation consistency across the quintet, especially in the rhythmic figures that define the Latin character; staccato markings and tonguing style should match from player to player.

This is an excellent mid-concert or closing selection that shifts energy and mood, especially effective following more serious or introspective chamber works. Its accessibility and upbeat character make it an ideal bridge between concert and pops programming, or a natural fit for educational performances where you want to demonstrate how classical instruments can embrace vernacular styles.

• Ensemble balance and voice rotation across a transparent five-part texture
• Latin rhythmic interpretation and groove-oriented phrasing
• Collaborative melodic awareness and sensitivity to which voice is featured
• Stylistic flexibility and the character of Brazilian musical idiom