War Dance of the Seven Serpents Cover Image

War Dance of the Seven Serpents: HybridNOW Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$75.00 USD
$75.00 USD
Skip to product information
War Dance of the Seven Serpents Cover Image
War Dance of the Seven Serpents: HybridNOW Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

War Dance of the Seven Serpents: HybridNOW Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

By Brian Beck

Grade: 2

Item: 00-50399H
$75.00
HybridNOW

Included with this title

  • Digital music NOW — instant access to the full performance set
  • Permission to COPY all parts as needed
  • Additional PRINT score delivered separately by mail

Related Items

WAR DANCE OF SEVEN SERPENTS/DB: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$75.00
View

War Dance of the Seven Serpents: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$75.00
View

War Dance of the Seven Serpents: Concert Band Conductor Score

$12.00
View
Description
War Dance of the Seven Serpents, by Brian Beck, is a fantastic showcase for developing musicians. It exhibits many aspects, styles, and techniques included in more sophisticated music that challenge players while being sensitive to range, rhythm, and difficulty. Bound to become a staple in young band literature!

The piece and its title pay homage to the classical works of Gustav Holst and Silvestre Revueltas. "War" is derived from "Mars," from Holst's The Planets, as well as many of this piece's driving rhythms. "Seven" refers to the overall meter of the piece (4+3=7). "Serpents" alludes to Revueltas' Sensemayá, a piece (also in 7/4) that tells a story of a ritual involving a snake.

War Dance of the Seven Serpents: HybridNOW Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

Sample Audio
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Developing Band
Publisher: Alfred Music
ISBN10: 1-4706-8713-5
ISBN13: 978-1-4706-8713-7
UPC: 038081621067
SKU: 00-50399H

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Beck

Brian Beck

Brian Beck combines his work as a freelance composer and arranger with active roles as both clinician and educator across instrumental and vocal programs. His music has received recognition from prestigious sources including The Instrumentalist's "Reviewer's Choice" and "Best New Concert Band Music" honors from Tom Lee Music, while his arrangements and original works have been featured at TMEA Honor Band concerts, UIL state marching contests, and Western International Band clinics.

With a Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of Houston and a Bachelor's from Texas A&M University-Commerce, Beck has directed award-winning bands at middle and high schools in Texas. His ensembles consistently earned Superior ratings at UIL contests and were selected for prestigious performances including The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. His compositions appear on multiple prescribed music lists, including those used by the Texas UIL and Florida Bandmasters Association.

Why we love this

Beck writes with a sophisticated understanding of what developing musicians can accomplish when challenged thoughtfully. Rather than simplifying complex ideas, he layers orchestration and rhythmic concepts that mirror professional concert band literature while respecting the technical ceiling of Grade 2 players. The piece's structural anchor in 7/4 meter and its choreographed energy make it an unforgettable experience for both ensemble and audience.

What to expect

Propulsive and ceremonial, like watching an ancient ritual unfold with modern urgency. The seven-beat meter creates an unsettling, hypnotic groove that pulls listeners forward; beneath driving rhythms lies an architectural precision that rewards careful conducting.

Who it's for

Grade 2 concert bands working toward festival and contest performances. The piece suits developing ensembles with solid fundamentals who are ready to tackle mixed meters and stylistic sophistication without technical overload.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the seven-beat meter as your foundational pulse. Conduct it as 4+3 at first to help the ensemble internalize the asymmetrical bar, then let it flow as a single phrase.
  • Balance the rhythmic drive without sacrificing clarity. The "Mars" influence appears in relentless forward motion, but articulation and sectional precision will prevent the piece from becoming muddy.
  • Draw from the Revueltas connection by bringing a ceremonial quality to the piece. War Dance suggests ritual movement and intent rather than chaos; allow space between phrases even as the momentum builds.

How to use it

Feature this as a contest selection where it will stand apart from typical Grade 2 repertoire. Its homage to Holst and Revueltas also pairs well in a concert exploring rhythmic innovation across musical traditions, or as an opener that grabs attention and sets a high bar for the rest of your program.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and internalizing 7/4 meter
  • Executing rhythmic patterns in asymmetrical time signatures
  • Balancing vertical alignment in sections featuring syncopated rhythms
  • Maintaining ensemble cohesion across extended driving passages
  • Responding to expressive conducting in non-traditional metric frameworks

You May Also Like