Willow Creek Festival: Concert Band Conductor Score

$6.00 USD

Willow Creek Festival: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Willow Creek Festival: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-31695S
Price: 6.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Steve Hodges

Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-31695S

$6.00

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One moment…

Beginning with an energetic fanfare, Willow Creek Festival is an upbeat piece that moves along smoothly in triple meter. The main theme is presented by the clarinets and saxophones and then again by the trumpets and flutes. A repetition of the introduction provides a transition to a contrasting section in 5/4 time which features a memorable melody in the relative minor key. With varied percussion colors, active rhythmic patterns and an effective countermelody, an excellent contrast is achieved. The main theme returns and flows into an exciting variation of the initial fanfare, bringing the piece to a dynamic conclusion.

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Series: Challenger Band Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081353296

SKU: 00-31695S

More about this title

About the Composer: Steve Hodges

Steve Hodges completed his Bachelor of Science in music education at Western Oregon University and earned a Master of Music Education from Central Washington University. After four decades directing bands, choirs, and small ensembles across public school programs, he transitioned to full-time composition and has since created over 120 concert band works published by Alfred Music, along with choral arrangements placed by Staff Music and Shawnee Press.

Hodges's compositions have traveled internationally, appearing at festivals and state music conventions worldwide. His commissioned works span honor bands and schools from Virginia to British Columbia, and his music has been featured on TBS and ESPN. A member of ASCAP, he continues to live in The Dalles, Oregon, where he remains active in community music alongside his family. His greatest joy comes from learning that his grandchildren are now performing his pieces in their own school bands.

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Why we love this

Hodges crafts a piece that delivers genuine contrast without overwhelming a Grade 2 ensemble. The shift from triple meter into 5/4 with a minor-key melody shows compositional sophistication at an accessible level, and the recurring fanfare gives students concrete landmarks to navigate the form.

What to expect

Willow Creek Festival bounces along with infectious optimism, opening with a bright fanfare that invites attention. The shift into 5/4 brings a reflective, slightly mysterious quality before the energy surges back, leaving audiences with the impression of a piece that is both disciplined and joyful.

Who it's for

This score fits bands in their second or third year of playing, ready to explore form and meter beyond the typical straight-time march. Conductors looking for a concert piece that builds musicianship without excessive technical demands will find Willow Creek Festival immediately teachable.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the opening fanfare with clear articulation and dynamic intent. The energy here sets the tone for the entire piece, so commit to crisp attacks and bring out the rhythmic drive of that introduction.
Balance the main theme between the clarinet and saxophone duet in the first statement. Let one voice lead slightly while the other provides harmonic warmth, then swap prominence when trumpets and flutes take the melody.
Prepare the meter shift into 5/4 with sectional rehearsal. Mark beat groupings clearly in parts (perhaps 2+3 or 3+2) so students internalize the new pulse before ensemble work.
Use the contrasting section's minor key and slower harmonic rhythm to breathe with the melody. This is where the piece asks for expression and subtlety, a natural resting point after the opening's brightness.

How to use it

Place this in a concert's middle section where it can anchor the program with clear structure and appeal. Its festival-ready energy makes it ideal for spring concerts, and at eight pages it pairs well with a longer work or balances a program that includes lyrical selections.