Brass Band Concert Themes to Entice Your Audience

Listen, I love ‘Stage and Screen’ or ‘A Night at the Movies’ themes as much as the next bander (I’m working on a similar programme with my band at the moment!), but if you’re looking for a theme for your next brass band concert that is a little bit different, then this is the post for you!

I’ve put together 5 concert themes with suggested programmes and links to where you can buy the scores and parts! 

Each programme will include a mix of recognisable arrangements and original pieces written for brass bands to help showcase everything our fantastic community has to offer!

1) Space Odyssey

From the well-known theme taken from Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 movie of the same name to moving soloist offerings and spirited adventures to far away galaxies - this programme takes your audience on a whirlwind tour around space!

First Half

• Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss, Arr. by John Glenesk Mortimer

• The North Star by William Rimmer

• Jupiter (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst, arr. Stephen Roberts

• Cornet Solo: Stars are Not Too Far by Liz Lane

• Enter the Galaxies by Paul Lovatt Cooper

• Tenor Horn Solo: Cassini by Lucy Pankhurst

• Reach for the Stars by Goff Richards

Second Half

• Ad Astra by Jacob Vilhelm Larsen*

• The Stars Above, The Earth Below by Judith Bingham

• Flugel Solo: For the Beauty of Earth by Dorothy Gates*

• Trombone Feature: Blue Moon by Richard Rogers arr. Alan Fernie

• Earth Walk (from Windows of the World) by Peter Graham

• Rocket by Alan Fernie

• Encore: Imperial March from Star Wars by John Williams arr. Sandy Smith

2) A Disney Spectacular

This is probably my favourite programme of the lot and I would love to see it live. I’ve also tried to feature as many tunes that isn’t ‘A Disney Fantasy’ - I love Goff and it’s a lovely arrangement, but it’s time for some other Disney arrangements to take the spotlight. This programme would be a great introduction for younger audience members into the brass band medium and a great chance for bands to get creative to engage little listeners!

First Half

• When You Wish Upon a Star by Leigh Harline  arr. By Sammy Nestico

• Mickey Mouse March by Jimmy Dodd, arr. by Philip Sparke 

• The Lion King by Hans Zimmer arr. by Alan Fernie

• Features: The Circle of Life, I Just Can’t Wait to be King, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Hakuna Matata and This Land

• Soprano Solo: Feed the Birds by the Sherman Brothers arr. Jonathan Bates

• A Bug’s Life by Randy Newman, arr. Philip Harper

• He Mele No Lilo from Lilo and Stitch by Alan Silvestri and Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu arr. By Derek Broadbent

• How Far I’ll Go by Lin-Manuel Miranda arr. Gavin Somerset

• Let it Go by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez arr. Philip Harper

Second Half

• Prologue from Hook by John Williams arr. Darrol Barry

• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest by Hans Zimmer, arr. Jay Bocook

• Horn Feature:I Won’t Say I’m in Love by Alan Menken arr. Richard Rock

• Euphonium Solo: Evermore by Alan Menken arr. By Adrian Horn

• Colours of the Wind by Alan Menken arr. Gavin Somerset

• Bass Trombone or Eb Bass Solo: Friend Like Me by Alan Menken arr. By Karl Whelan

• The Incredibles by Michael Giaccino arr. Philip Harper

Encore: Bluey Theme Song by Jonathan Bush and arr. By Tim Middleton - this will go down a treat for children in the audience!

3) Big Band Bash!

A celebration of toe-tappin’ swing, dance and jazz classics from days gone by. It would be great to perform these at a venue that has a dance floor or maybe collaborate with a local dance club to bring these pieces to life?

First Half

• Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima, arr.by Jerome Thomas

• Mack the Knife bu Kurt Weill arr. by Goff Richards

• Cornet solo: Sugar Blues by Alan Morrison

• Blue Rondo Alla Turk by Dave Brubeck arr. by Kevin Edwards

• Bass Trombone Solo: In the Hall of the Mountain of the Mountain King by Grieg arr. by Bill Geldard

• Big Band Tribute by Frank Meacham & Joseph Garland arr. by Dan Price 7 Barry Forgie

Second Half

• Miller Magic arr. by Denzil Stephens

• Blue Skies by Irving Berlin arr. Neville Buxton

• Tenor Horn Solo: Georgia on My Mind by Hoagy Carmichael, arr. Goff Richards

• St Louis Blues arr. by Andrea Price*

• Caravan by Duke Ellington, arr. by Sandy Smith

• L-O-V-E by Gabler & Kaempfert, arr. Christopher Bond

• Swing When You’re Winning arr. by Goff Richards

Encore: New York, New York arr. by Goff Richards 

4) Heroes and Villains

From courageous champions to treacherous titans, this programme offers a chance showcase arrangements and original music for brass band in an adventurous way! This theme could also be achieved by utilising arrangements of well-known superhero theme tunes, such as superman or batman - but I wanted to try something different by utilising as many original brass band works as possible.

First Half - Heroes

• Salute to a Hero by Philip Sparke

• Spirit of Victory by Andrea Price

• Walking with Heroes by Paul Lovatt-Cooper

• Euphonium Solo: Out of the Shadows by Andrea Price

• Victory (from Cry of the Celts) by Peter Graham

• The Undaunted by Eric Ball
  

Second Half - Villains

• Mars the Bringer of War by Gustav Holst arr. Phillip Littlemore

• Cornet Solo: The Descent by Christopher Bond

• Mischief! by Lucy Pankhurst

• Night on Bare Mountain by Modeste Mussorgsky arr. Phillip Littlemore

• Dragons’ Rise by Matthew Hall

• Infernal Ride by Phillip Littlemore

Encore: Summon the Heroes by John Williams arr. Rieks Van Der Velde

5) Elemental

This programme takes your audience through an exploration of the 4 elements - earth, wind, water and fire. 

First Half

• Fire in the Blood - Paul Lovatt-Cooper

• Cornet Solo: Whirlwind by Peter Graham

• Tide and Time by Liz Lane

• Euphonium and Baritone Duet: Roots by Lucy Pankhurst

• Sunrise over Blue Ridge by Dan Price

• Soprano Cornet Solo: Flowerdale by Philip Sparke

• Gaelforce by Peter Graham
  

Second Half

• From the Sea by Geert Jan Kroon

• Flugel Solo: Of Wind & Weeping by Christopher Bond

• Hellfire by Ben Hollings

• Earth from Gladiator by Hans Zimmer arr. Rieks Van Der Velde

• It is Well with my Soul arr.by Adam D.J Taylor

• Amazonia by Peter Graham

Encore: Wellerman - Sea Shanty Medley arr. by Adam Taylor

I hope these ideas help to sparke your imagination, if you are ever looking for some ideas for your next concert!

Disclaimer: these programmes are just a suggestion - you can mix and match items to suit the ability of your band. No part of this blog is sponsored by, nor do I have any affiliation with the vendors linked - I just thought it would be useful for anybody looking to buy any of the mentioned pieces! Any pieces I couldn’t find a purchase link for marked with an asterisk.

However, sponsorships are more than welcome for the right business - if you are interested in supporting the blog by sponsoring content, then please email itsnotatrumpet@gmail.com!