Brian Balmages

Conjuring images of a master craftsman forging the perfect sword, this dramatic work portrays the intense heat and relentless pounding as the blade begins to take shape. A reference to the Dies Irae c...

This imaginative work depicts a view of an open field on a summer night, when thousands of fireflies light up the darkness. Eventually, the listener is hypnotized by these lights and wakes up in the m...

This innovative work is based on the Egyptian Sun God Ra and features a wealth of Middle Eastern percussion instruments. A mystical opening leads into the main theme of the work, representing the begi...

Based on the novel by American author Jack London, this powerful work depicts a dog’s struggle as he progressively moves from a domesticated animal to a creature of the wild. All sections of the piece...

The dynamic energy of minimalism combines with the epic sounds of thunderstorms in this contemporary and powerful work. Opening with the haunting sounds of vibraphone, piano, crystal glasses and ether...

The dynamic energy of minimalism combines with the epic sounds of thunderstorms in this contemporary and powerful work. Opening with the haunting sounds of vibraphone, piano, crystal glasses and ether...

Experience the International Space Station through the power of music. This epic three-movement work musically depicts several astronauts' first-hand accounts of launch, first experiences of floating,...

Experience the International Space Station through the power of music. This epic three-movement work musically depicts several astronauts' first-hand accounts of launch, first experiences of floating,...

This hauntingly aggressive work investigates the legends surrounding the exploration of Antarctica. Inspired by the recent brutal winters involving the polar vortex, the music depicts magical scenery...

Inspired by the powerful and magnificent stallion, the music conjures sentiments of pride, strength, daring and sheer power of will. Through simple yet compelling meter changes, one can feel the stall...

Inspired by a trip to Australia, Balmages composed this programmatic work in honor of the fictitious, yet wildly popular drop bear. The ominous opening portrays the eerie feeling of walking about, not...

Commissioned to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, this piece takes a unique approach and focuses on the small amounts of oil (often referred to as the "tears of Arizona")...

This powerful overture with cinematic overtones is designed to be playable by band alone, yet offers the option of band and strings combined. Depicting the vision of the world from the eyes of an eagl...

This dramatic work follows a hiker from the base of Pikes Peak to the summit, encountering all the legend and history along the way. From the numerous reported signs of Big Foot to spectacular views,...

Dark harmonies create a menacing atmosphere in the opening of this engaging work. As the pace quickens, powerful themes combine with aggressive rhythmic lines, layered with ominous motives throughout....

Lyrical melodies meet powerful fanfares in this emotionally-charged work that tells the true story of a world premiere and a band program's final performance. 3-part fully adaptable with percussion an...

Adaptable 4-part orchestration with piano and percussion. An exciting venture into the world of bluegrass based on one of the composer's most popular works for band.

An exciting piece that explores self-paced developing music for literally any combination of instruments. Inspired by Terry Riley's In C, the piece includes short fragments that performers move throug...

Hit a homerun with this unique multi-movement adaptable piece with each one-minute micro movement written by a different composer! Balmages, Jolley, Meechan, Shapiro and Ticheli come together to offer...

An event so powerful that it is hard to control, seemingly unpredictable, aggressive, fast moving, and unstable. All these thoughts are explored as powerful percussion elements combine with dissonant...

Experience the music for an exhilarating action scene... without the scene! Students need to get creative as they come up with their own action scene that corresponds to the music. Aggressive, relentl...

This captivating musical celebration portrays the strong energy of all life in the jungle. The piece cleverly uses a melody that never changes throughout the entire work - rather, all the surrounding...

This concerto for soprano saxophone and wind ensemble is based on the tragedy of the Apollo 1 mission, in which a fire swept through the command module during a preflight test on January 27, 1967. All...

This extensive work for 14-piece brass and percussion challenges your group technically, lyrically, and musically. The first movement introduces a fanfare and chorale that reappear later in the work....

This extensive work for 14-piece brass and percussion challenges your group technically, lyrically, and musically. The first movement introduces a fanfare and chorale that reappear later in the work....