Tulsa: A Symphonic Portrait in Oil Cover Image

Tulsa: A Symphonic Portrait in Oil: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$100.00 USD

Tulsa: A Symphonic Portrait in Oil: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Tulsa: A Symphonic Portrait in Oil: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-B320702
Price: 100.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Don Gillis / arr. Maurice Ford, Clarence Barber

Item: 36-B320702

$100.00

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The First National Bank of Tulsa, Oklahoma commissioned "Tulsa" to be played at the opening of their new bank building. The piece is a symphonic poem in four sections depicting Westward Expansion, the discovery of oil, and the resulting celebration. "Tulsa" is dedicated to the bank and to conductor H. Arthur Brown who recorded this work with the Vienna Philharmonic. At the time of recording, Vienna was occupied by the USSR, thus preventing the scored "gun shots" from being performed to avoid starting another war.

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Series: LudwigMasters Symphonic Band

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

UPC: 660355005749

SKU: 36-B320702

Instrumentation: Concert Band

More about this title

About the Composer: Don Gillis

Don Gillis (1910-1978) was an American composer, conductor, and educator whose work bridged classical and popular idioms with remarkable ease. A prolific orchestrator for film and concert hall, Gillis earned recognition for his ability to write accessibly without sacrificing musical substance, making him a fixture in American band and orchestra repertoires throughout the mid-20th century.

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Why we love this

Gillis crafted a narrative arc that actually works on the concert stage. Each section unfolds with clear musical purpose, and the orchestration gives every section of the band room moments to shine without losing the sweeping, cinematic scope that makes this piece memorable. The historical quirk about those omitted gunshots adds genuine character to the score.

What to expect

This score captures the swagger of American expansion with orchestration that recalls the golden age of American film scores. The piece pulses with optimism and forward motion, painting sonic pictures of open landscapes, industrial progress, and communal celebration without ever feeling saccharine.

Who it's for

Conductors programming patriotic or Americana-themed concerts will find this immediately engaging. It works equally well for advanced high school bands and college-level ensembles seeking substantial concert band repertoire with genuine historical and musical interest.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the melodic material carefully across sections during the oil discovery movement; the thematic voices pass between woodwinds and brass, and clarity matters more than volume.
Work the celebratory final section with attention to rhythmic precision in the accompaniment figures so the triumphant themes cut through without muddying.
Shape the westward expansion opening with gradual dynamic growth rather than immediate forte playing, which lets the concert band build genuine momentum.

How to use it

Pair this with other mid-century American concert band works to build a thematic program around regional or industrial history. It also serves well as a centerpiece in patriotic programming, standing up convincingly alongside larger orchestral transcriptions.