Downtown Dash (Flex Band)
On your mark... get set... go! Take part in a brisk race through city streets without taking a single step with Downtown Dash. This well-paced work musically follows the course of a 5K race from the slow pace of the crowded starting line to the exuberant sprint to the finish. Get off your podium and get moving!
Medium: 4-Part Flex Band
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Series: The MaxFlex Series
Composed: 2009 / 2020
Duration: 2:30
Difficulty: Grade 2.5
Instrumentation
Full Score (showing all transposed parts)
Condensed Score (only "C" parts)
Adaptable Parts
(2 copies of Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 for each instrument)
Flute
Oboe
B-flat Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone/Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet/Baritone T.C.
F Horn
Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon
Tuba
Percussion Parts (100% optional)
Timpani (3 drums)
Keyboard Percussion: Xylophone, Bells
Percussion 1: Snare Drum, Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbals, Tambourine, Triangle
Program Notes
Downtown Dash is meant to depict a brisk 5K road race (3.1 miles) through the city streets surrounded by towering skyscrapers. The runners are all assembled behind the starting line, anxiously awaiting the horn or gun to go off. Because there are so many runners, even after the race starts, no one is able to move very quickly until the pack thins out. Each of the 3 miles in the race have their own musical character. During the first mile (m. 17) you are finally able to settle into your own comfortable stride. You start to pick up the pace a bit during mile 2 as the music moves into 3/4 time (m. 47). During mile 3 (m. 71), fatigue is starting to set in as you pick up the pace even more, depicted by the low brass taking over and moving the key into D minor. As you reach the last tenth of a mile (m. 93), the finish line is now in your sights, so you break into an all-out sprint to the finish.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The MaxFlex Series for adaptable wind band offers maximum flexibility with pieces across all grade levels, featuring 4 parts plus optional percussion. Each part is transposed and playable by any wind or keyboard percussion instrument in the ensemble. Recommended part assignments are included, but directors may “mix and match” as they see fit.
