To Reach the Summit: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Michael Oare
Grade: 1
Item: 35-PK00273015
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Description
Even at the beginning level, Michael Oare shows that it's possible to provide creative music in a concise and appealing overture format. A stately opening leads to the exciting and energetic main theme. Perfect as a first festival or contest number. Dur: 1:45 (Grade 1)
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00273015
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Oare
Michael Oare studied composition and music education at Old Dominion University and has spent his career balancing creative work with teaching. For 33 years he directed bands at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia, where his ensembles earned superior ratings year after year, including an unprecedented 30 consecutive superior ratings on grade 3 and 4 literature.
Oare's compositions for young musicians appear regularly in print and in the GIA Publications series "Teaching Music Through Performance." He conducts the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Concert Band, serves as an adjudicator, and maintains memberships in ASCAP, Phi Beta Mu, and state and national music education organizations. His work as an educator has been recognized with the Chesapeake Public Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year award and two National Band Association Citations of Excellence.
Why we love this
Oare understands the exact moment when a beginning band needs real music, not training material. This overture combines architectural clarity with genuine interest: the stately opening establishes control and focus, then the energetic main theme gives students something worth playing and audiences something worth hearing. At 1:45, it respects the attention span of young ensembles while delivering a complete musical statement that stands up in festival settings.
What to expect
The opening establishes quiet dignity and focus before unleashing forward momentum. It captures the feeling of climbing toward something important, with the energy and determination of youth rising to meet the challenge. The overall effect is encouraging rather than overwhelming, leaving players energized and audiences impressed.
Who it's for
This score and parts set serves first and second year bands preparing for festival or local competition. Directors building a beginning level repertoire will find music that demonstrates technique without talking down to students. It's also ideal for programs that need a confident opener for a concert program.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening section with a steady but unhurried pulse; this is where the audience forms its first impression of your group's musicianship.
- Bring the main theme into focus with clarity from all sections, especially woodwinds, so the shift in energy registers distinctly.
- Balance the brass in the energetic passages without letting them overtake the harmonic foundation; Grade 1 ranges are narrow, so precision matters more than volume.
- Mark the transition moment clearly in rehearsal so students understand it's not just faster, it's a new character entirely.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece when you want to demonstrate your band's control and musicality right away. Its compact length makes it an excellent appetizer before a larger work, or it can anchor a program of three or four short pieces that showcase different aspects of your ensemble's abilities. The festival-ready quality suggests pairing it with other contest literature as part of a competitive rotation throughout the season.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining longer phrases in the opening section
- Responding to distinct tempo and character changes
- Balancing multiple layers of melody and accompaniment
- Maintaining rhythmic precision under varying dynamics
- Building confidence in performance settings