Undecim: Concert Band Conductor Score

Standridge crafts an opening statement that grabs attention without sacrificing musicality. The metric complexity of 7/8 + 2/4 feels organic rather than gimmicky, and it gives your ensemble a genuine rhythmic puzzle to solve together, making rehearsals focused and purposeful from the very first notes.

Undecim hits like a spark. The opening 11-beat pulse creates forward momentum and anticipation, demanding focused energy from the ensemble. Once the metric shape settles in the players' ears, the piece becomes a showcase of precision and drive, modern in its rhythmic sensibility yet accessible in its orchestration.

Bands at the Grade 4 level with solid fundamentals and rhythmic confidence will thrive with this opener. It works equally well for concert and contest programs when you need a piece that demonstrates technical skill and contemporary metric thinking.

• Lock the articulation in the opening statement across all sections. The rhythmic precision of 11 eighth notes depends on clarity and uniformity; even slight inconsistency in note separation will cloud the metric feel.
• Conduct the 7/8 + 2/4 pattern clearly and commit to it. Your band will follow, and once they feel the groove, the energy naturally sustains.
• Bring out the contrasting material after the opening hook. The piece gains its punch by shifting textures and dynamics, so resist the temptation to let everything sit at full volume.

Use this as your concert opener to establish energy and set an expectation for engaged listening. Its compact duration (3:15) positions it perfectly before a larger or slower work, creating a dynamic opening to any program.

• Reading and performing mixed meters (7/8 and 2/4)
• Precision articulation and rhythmic unison
• Conducting pattern recognition and independence
• Maintaining pulse through metric modulation