Grade 1.5 Concert Band Compositions
Adversary
Now, this is what composer Larry Clark does best! He gives developing bands daring compositions that they just absolutely love to play. In Adversary, an epic minor piece, he explores the villainous character that appears in most great stories. The added dimension of ¾ time give this piece an intriguing rhythmic feel. It is full-sounding, but never taxing to the abilities of the developing band. A surefire winner!
Air and Caprice
Perfectly scored for younger players, Air and Caprice is a classically balanced piece in two distinct tempos (Adagio and Allegro), with nicely related but contrasting musical materials. It will be an excellent choice for concert and contest performance.
Angel Echoes
As the title implies, Angel Echoes uses a lot of echo effects throughout, and is based on the interval of a descending perfect fifth. The piece begins with a lush statement of the subtle "angel" theme, which is used throughout the piece and ultimately as the climactic material later in the work. With teachable material steeped in musicality, this remarkable new work for developing ensembles will not disappoint.
Antiphony
Antiphony is a serious composition that will highlight your budding percussionists. This bold and harmonically progressive piece has an extensive percussion section that is placed antiphonally around the band to give the piece a stereophonic effect.
Autumn Mist
Visualize the early morning mist, on a brisk autumn day, at a place where the sea meets the land. The lighthouse bell signals incoming ships, and so begins this descriptive musical narrative. A tunable percussion part involves as many metallophones, handbells, vibraphones or chimes as you deem appropriate. Tonal colors appear that are not often heard in music for the young band or ensemble. This is an aural adventure for all!
Canticle of the Sun
A piece with a lyrical chorale and a hymn-like quality, Canticle of the Sun is written in a free flowing style, which is a different approach from this composer. The middle section is based on quintal harmony and contrasts the full sonority of the more open lyrical main theme.
Clash and Roar
The title says it all with this aggressively scored piece by Larry Clark that a young band can really dig into. Some unusual percussion effects are called for and Clash and Roar employs a modern harmonic structure and rhythmic energy, which will have considerable appeal to young players. This will be a great piece for festival/contest use.
Contredanse
Crystalline
A lilting melodic ostinato in the woodwinds provides a base over which a flowing melody and lush harmonies develop in "Crystalline," by Larry Clark. The piece is set in a vibrant 3/4 feel and provides interesting contrasts between the ostinato sections and colorful harmonic changes.
Dance of the Thunderbolts
This is an impressive showcase for beginning bands! It's a powerful, rhythmically driven overture that keeps the excitement up from beginning to end, and it even features a part for brake drum!
Dark Apollo
Intense is the adjective that best describes this new piece from popular composer Larry Clark. All of the compositional techniques that have made his music so popular with students can be found in this bold new piece. The melody is catchy and rhythmically interesting with harmonic interjections from the rest of the band. Thick scoring and lots of percussion will make your band sound very advanced. Highlight your band's strengths at festival with this strong new piece.
Elite March
Elite March is written to introduce the march form and style to young musicians. Playing marches is part of the heritage of the band and is an importance style that students should learn to play. The form of this composition includes the traditional modulation to the subdominant at the Trio.
Engines of Resistance
Two powerful themes resisting each other provide the gas that makes this engine go, and when they clash, not even the brake drum (the one the percussion section plays!) can slow things down! There's no shortage of aggressive accents here, either...but don't worry about your players going overboard, because Engines Of Resistance can take anything you can throw at it! Definitely a high octane piece!
Epic
Epic is an intense composition for the developing band. It contains all of the thumbprints that have made Larry Clark’s music so popular for young bands: sweeping and catchy with a contagious melody that the students will want to play again and again.
Excelcia
This winning piece is already being accepted on many state contest lists. Featuring driving rhythms and accents that make this 4/4 piece sound at times as if it's in 3/4, "Excelcia" offers a unique approach that will keep your students on their toes while highlighting their accomplishments!
Fanfare Acclamations
Fanfare Acclamations is a contest style piece that is bold and energetic. As the title implies is begins with a bold maestoso fanfare with punctuating percussion that leads to the active main theme in an up-tempo allegro.
Fleur-de-lis March
Fluer-de-lis March is written to introduce the march form and style to young musicians. Playing marches is part of the heritage of the band and is an importance style that the students should learn to play. The form of this composition includes the traditional modulation to the subdominant at the Trio.
Flourish
Flourish is a great concert opener or closer. This fanfare style piece is perfect for contests and festivals and excellent for teaching form.
Genesis
Genesis is a contest style piece that can be used as the culmination of study at the end of The Yamaha Advantage or at the end of any band method book 1. This popular performance piece from the back of book 1 has been requested by directors to be available separately so that they can perform the piece at contest. It is a real winner!
Gravitas
The definition of gravitas (dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner) perfectly describes the style of this piece. It contains some carefully placed descending dissonance in the introductory material that is used throughout the piece to make even the youngest of students sound bold!
Honor March
Honor March is written to introduce the March form and style to young musicians. Playing marches is part of the heritage of the band and is an importance style that the students should learn to play.
Impressions
Impressions is a heartfelt composition in a lyrical style. Beautiful melodies are given numerous orchestrational and harmonic treatments to create a musical journey that will be pleasing to performers and audiences.
Ingenuity March
Larry Clark’s newest march, Ingenuity, is the ideal introduction to the march style. It is a fast and fun uptempo march that will be perfect for contest and festival.
Integrity
Larry Clark's music refl ects a strong belief in the discipline and power of playing music as a means of encouraging character development in young people. With their strong melodic profi le and the care taken in giving every section a chance to play the principal ideas, it is no wonder that even his easiest pieces have great appeal to young performers. Integrity is no exception and is an outstanding example of the Clark style at its best.
Joust
You will hear the power and aggressive nature of the medieval tournament in this strong new work for developing bands by Larry Clark. Larry's pieces are some of the most performed at this grade level and this piece proves why with its bold rhythms, powerful harmonies and singable melodies. Every section of the band gets to shine in this contest/festival style piece.
Legends
Legends is designed to reinforce eighth-note patterns and 3/4 time. The composition is a perfect contest/festival style piece and as the title implies, is reminiscent of swashbuckling heroes.
Loyalty March
Loyalty March is a tuneful original in standard march form. This piece serves as a great introduction to the march form and style for developing bands. Larry Clark's pieces are always well-scored, and the melodies are always singable. Perfect as a warm-up march for contest or festival.
Omega One
A forceful concert piece in overture style that has all the Clark fingerprints: distinctive melodic ideas, sharp, clear scoring and a strong rhythmic profile. The percussion section gets a workout and every part has thematic material that will stretch reading skills in a meaningful way.
Out of the Winter
An evocative depiction of the many moods of winter, Out of the Winter begins with a mysterious and stormy opening that gives way to a tuneful and vigorous "allegro." This energetic and colorful piece is enriched by some easy contrapuntal writing and contemporary harmonic touches. Out of the Winter will be a fine chance for young musicians to demonstrate their playing abilities.
Phantom Echo
Phantom Echo is intriguing and unique, but retains the signature style that you and your students have come to love from composer Larry Clark. This piece plays on the echo-effect with a great deal of interplay between woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Interesting music for younger students with lots of teaching opportunities.
Pinnacle of Distinction March
Larry Clark has arranged many of the popular Bennett band marches over the years and here, he provides us with a new original march in Bennett style; an excellent vehicle to teach the march style and form to students. Pinnacle of Distinction would be perfect as a warm-up piece for a festival performance.
Quest for the Throne
Quest for the Throne evokes images of kings and castles, knights and horses, and dragons in all their glory. It is a bold and aggressive piece throughout, but includes a contrasting, lush secondary theme for variety. In his typical style, Clark has used forceful figures, and strong melodic content to give students music they'll want to practice and play again and again.
Recorder Rag
Recorder Rag was composed to feature members of your elementary recorder class playing along with the band for recruitment purposes. The ragtime style was chosen for its fun appeal to both player and audience alike. Place the recorder section at the front of the band so they can be heard and seen by their parents. This will be a smash hit and a great recruitment tool.
Red Thunder
If you're looking for the overture that will let your band show off what they've got, look no further than this dynamic concert work. By using a "thunder sheet" the percussion section warns of the impending doom. This is an aggressive piece that will challenge and delight your performers!
Reflections
Reflections combines chorale-style playing with contemporary harmonies. It is a perfect piece to reinforce the teaching of phrasing and overall musical performance.
Reliance March
Set in the classic “fast and fun” American march style, Reliance is unique in that it begins in the relative minor for the introduction and first strain, before shifting to a major key for the second strain and beyond. Exciting and different!
Scottish Bobber
Bobber in the old Scots language is the word for a dance. The piece is an original composition for developing bands in a Scottish style. It cantains all of the typically Larry Clark compositional techniques that you have come to know and your students have come to love.
Sentinel
Sentinel is designed to reinforce the key of Eb after the note concert Ab is learned. It contains contemporary harmonies, tuneful melodies and exciting percussion.
Shining Moments
In every person’s life there are shining moments where we are at our best, where we show others the best version of ourselves and we achieve. Shining Moments is intended to musically depict this feeling in a beautiful, but uplifting ballad that can be used to teach developing bands good musicianship qualities, like phrasing and playing with emotion. A wonderful opportunity for developing student to have a musically powerful experience.
Soaring Above
Starting with a brilliant fanfare, Larry Clark writes such interesting harmonies for this level. Soaring Melodic Lines intertwine with a more angular counter-line really make this work stand out for this level. Your students will learn a lot and they won’t even know it!
Talons of Fire
Talons of Fire is an aggressive, energetic contest style composition that everyone will enjoy performing. It contains bold fanfares, strong percussion interjections and angular rhythms that will be thrilling for students and audience alike.
Torch Burns Bright
This uplifting contemporary work is just right for young performers, with its woodwind ostinatos and bold brass statements! Larry Clark is becoming well known for writing musically aggressive and rewarding works for young band, and this piece is no exception. Solid block rhythms will help your band hold together and sound great, while the driving percussion and big melodies will impress judges and audience alike!