Vertigo: Concert Band Conductor Score

Bernotas structures Vertigo to deliver maximum energy while remaining completely playable at the Grade 3.5 level. Every section of your band gets rewarding material that keeps students engaged, and the contrasting middle gives you a genuine pedagogical moment to address phrasing and control before the final push. It's the kind of opener or closer that builds program momentum without requiring advanced technique.

Fast and relentless, with melodies that spiral upward as the harmonic foundation spins beneath them. The sudden calm in the middle feels like the eye of a storm, disorienting in its stillness, before the room tilts again and the finale sends everything spinning toward the finish.

Band directors seeking a high-impact concert opener or closer at the intermediate level. Bernotas has written every part with musical substance, so students throughout your band will find meaningful material rather than padding.

• Establish the aggressive rhythmic drive in early rehearsals by isolating the percussion foundation and rhythm section. Once that's locked, layer in the melodic voices so the spiraling effect comes into sharp focus.
• Shape the contrasting section with deliberate dynamic restraint. The breathing room only works if it genuinely contrasts with the surrounding intensity, so resist the urge to maintain the energy throughout.
• Bring the final whirling section to a clear, unified conclusion. This is where tight ensemble work pays off visually and musically.

Open a concert with Vertigo to grab your audience's attention immediately, or close one with a final energetic statement that leaves students and listeners exhilarated. At 28 pages, it's substantial enough to anchor a concert program without dominating rehearsal time, making it ideal for bands balancing multiple works.

• Rhythmic precision and ensemble lock in fast, driving tempos
• Reading and executing spiraling melodic lines with directional clarity
• Dynamic contrast and phrasing in the middle section
• Maintaining focus and unity during energetic, extended passages
• Sectional balance when multiple rhythmic and melodic layers overlap