Tale of the Dragon by Brian Slawson

Tale of the Dragon was designed to address musical elements often overlooked in selections commonly performed by young musicians. Designed for large elementary ensembles with no member limits, it is an inclusive piece intended for many uses.

It calls for Orff-style pitched instruments, as well as unpitched instruments and employs elements that are bound to help students develop valuable skills. In this case the tempo is quite slow, which always provides unique challenges for young players in performance. Also, the element of dynamics and how they affect the music will play a major role in helping students identify with the story being told through performance.