To Light: 2nd Trombone
By Jared Barnes
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PC-0019148_TN2
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Description
To Light, by Jared Barnes, explores a path through the complex emotions of loss and uncertainty to a place of peace and resolution. With transparent moments of calm and wonder building to a soaring, triumphant climax and back, this piece will engage musicians and listeners through its instrumental colors and shifting tonal centers. To Light was commissioned by Holly Prier Lloyd and the Emmetsburg High School Band, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, directed by Mary O'Connell, in memory of alumnus Colton Johnson. (3:45)
The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances. Including:
The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances. Including:
- Assignment, recording, and assessment tools within MakeMusic Cloud
- Piece-specific exercises focused on skills and techniques
- Educational tips and suggestions to support learning
Available in print and digital formats.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, To Light: 2nd Trombone 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:
Alfred Concert Band - PerformancePlus+
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PC-0019148_TN2
More about this title
About the Composer: Jared Barnes
Jared Barnes composes and conducts instrumental music from Iowa, where his works have earned recognition at honor bands, regional festivals, and the Midwest Clinic. His pieces appear regularly on curated lists including Stanton's Five Star Feature, J.W. Pepper Editors' Choice, and Bandworld's Top 100.
Barnes has directed instrumental programs for grades 5-12 throughout his career, consistently achieving Division I ratings at the IHSMA Large Group Festival. His ensembles were named Class 1A High School Honor Bands at both the 2011 and 2019 Iowa Bandmasters Conventions. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wartburg College.
Why we love this
To Light balances emotional depth with accessibility in a way that rarely feels forced at the Grade 3 level. The shifting tonal centers and transparent orchestration create genuine musical interest for both performers and audiences, while the arch from uncertainty through triumph back to peace gives the piece narrative weight that students will feel and convey.
What to expect
To Light unfolds like a passage through shadow into light. The music holds moments of genuine vulnerability and quiet searching before building into something soaring and affirmative, then settling into a calm, hard-won peace. The instrumental colors shift alongside the emotional landscape, creating a sense of discovery and transformation.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level seeking repertoire that serves both as a meaningful artistic experience and a vehicle for teaching ensemble musicianship. Directors looking for a single piece that works equally well in festival programming, concert settings, or as the centerpiece of a thematic concert about resilience and hope.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the transparent, calm sections with careful dynamic control; these moments of wonder need space and air to resonate without feeling static.
- Emphasize the shifting tonal centers by listening for the harmonic landmarks that mark each emotional turn; this awareness transforms the piece from a sequence of passages into a coherent journey.
- Build the climactic section with confidence, but avoid rushing; let the triumphant moment earn its intensity through precise ensemble balance rather than sheer volume.
- Return to the closing peaceful resolution with the same care you gave the opening; this final section mirrors and completes the emotional arc established at the start.
How to use it
Program this as a concert anchor or festival centerpiece where its emotional arc can frame an entire set. The commissioning story and its memorial context lend themselves naturally to concert notes that deepen audience engagement, or to thematic programming alongside other pieces about hope and change.
Skills your students will build
- Managing dynamic contrast and building intensity over sustained passages
- Tracking harmonic movement through shifting tonal centers
- Balancing transparent orchestration while maintaining ensemble cohesion
- Conveying emotional narrative through musical choices in phrasing and articulation
- Responding to programmatic cues within concert band repertoire