MARCHING BAND
Westbound
Complete Production — $1,750
Fully adaptable for your ensemble, with direct composer support.
Duration: 8:20
Difficulty: Grade 3
Flexibility: Instrumentation and difficulty adjustments available.
Source Music:
The Ecstasy of Gold — Ennio Morricone
Original Music — Stephen Downing
Copyright: Additional licensing required.
Westbound
Westbound follows a steam train across the American frontier, combining familiar Western melodies with saloon music, industrial percussion, and immersive sound effects.
A train horn signals departure as a whistled melody, trumpet solo, and saloon piano introduce the journey. An enthusiastic “All aboard!” launches the full ensemble, with melodies passing between sections as the train gathers speed.
Galloping horses give way to The Ecstasy of Gold, leading into a mechanical percussion feature with metallic sounds, trombone glissandos, and driving brass figures.
The train reaches a quieter landscape, where a saloon-inspired ballad shifts from minor to major. An eagle call and expansive brass chords suggest the open prairie at sunset before a short drumline feature brings back the train and its familiar themes for a triumphant finish.
Listen to the Full Show
Every Show Includes
Regional Exclusivity
Difficulty Adjustments
Instrumentation Adjustments
Direct Composer Support
MainStage File
and Individual Audio Files
Scores and Parts for Winds and Percussion
Complete Show
$1,750
Learn more about the music
Want to see if this show fits your ensemble? Request a perusal score and we can talk through instrumentation, pacing, and adaptation needs.
Score Preview
Part Preview
Eerie harmonica, dark jazz, and an expressive “I Put a Spell on You” ballad lead to an ominous, overpowering finale in Stephen Downing’s bestselling marching band show.