SKU: A0.998358

A breathtaking new addition to wind band literature, Aaron Fonzi has composed a piece that will take your audience on an incredible, emotional journey. Inspired by his grandmother, Jacquie, Mr. Fonzi recalls:


I remember vividly the conversations I had with Grandma Jacquie as a boy. She had a kind, gentle way of showing her steadfast resilience and passion for that which is good and just in the world. She didn't think it good and just that I always felt the need to make myself my worst enemy. One day, she asked me who I see in the mirror. I told her I saw an ugly boy who couldn't do anything right; a loser and a failure. She told me that she saw a handsome young man who can do anything and become whatever he puts his mind to, and that everyday I ought to look in the mirror and find that person.

It took me almost 20 years to fully understand what she meant. But it's true: we can only bring the light out of others once we've truly brought it out within ourselves. So, this is for all of us who look in the mirror and see a monster or a failure. You are not a failure and your are not a monster. Let this piece remind you that you can do anything you put your mind to if you put faith in the person looking back at you.

Give your ensemble and your audience an experience they will remember with this powerful work, When I Look In The Mirror....

SKU: A0.998359

     This lyrical piece is a delightful way to introduce your young band to ballad style. Exploring slurs, accents, dynamics, caesuras, ritardandos and more, you'll be shocked by how sophisticated this beautiful piece sounds while using only a limited number of notes. 


     Written to convey the playful innocence of a child dreaming, In Your Slumber balances the calm of a starry sky with the imagination and adventure of a child's mind at rest. Simple and elegant, the lullaby played by the flutes in the beginning gives way to an imaginative variation on the theme by the trumpets and clarinets at B. Gentle, pulsating tenutos in the harmonizing chords underneath are symbolic of relaxed, rhythmic breathing underlying the musical thoughts flowing by above them. Just as in dreams we seldom have control of which direction the story may go, D takes us somewhere else musically and implies a build to a false climax. At E, we are greeted with the quiet sounds of the night once more, but this time our imagination runs wild as the music builds to the climax of the piece at F. This powerful proclamation of the melody is concluded with a gentle final statement in the flute and clarinet, and the piece concludes with the final twinkle of the stars as the sun rises for a new day.

Full of imagination, beauty and teachable moments throughout, I hope that you and your students can enjoy and appreciate this piece for it's simple beauty as I do. Onward!

~Aaron Fonzi

REHEARSAL NOTES:


1. The clarinet part should be a very light drone creating atmosphere at the beginning- the same goes for the clarinet and saxophone at rehearsal E.

2. It's easy to get too loud too soon in this piece, so remind your students to have patience. F is the climax of the piece, but many young students will want to play C as if it is. Similarly, be sure to balance the trumpet/ clarinet and the flute/ oboe/ bells at C so both lines come out evenly.

3. Take your time in measure 48- we want to naturally fade away and pause before going on at rehearsal E. This increase and decrease in energy is a characterization of the ebb and flow of the piece.

4. At F, there are 3 important parts that must be balanced: flute/oboe/bells; trumpet/clarinet; alto saxophone/horn. For best results, balance these 3 parts, and encourage the alto/horn line to play out a bit more than they think they need to. They are the new part which must be heard here.

5. Have fun and use your imagination in terms of expressing the music- ask your students what it makes them think of and create a story to go along with it. Let this ultimately guide your interpretation. I am consistently impressed with the creative ideas my students come up with, so let them decide how the music should sound with their own stories. In your slumber, anything is possible!

SKU: A0.998361

     Composed in honor of women's history month, First Symphony for Beginning Band is a unique piece that depicts four important women throughout our history. Movement 1 depicts the harrowing tale of Sojourner Truth's escape from slavery. She went on to become one of the most influential abolitionists in history- both an icon for racial justice and women's rights.The second movement depicts the innocence of a young Malala, who stood up against the Taliban's exclusion of women's rights to education. At the age of 15, she was shot in the head three times on a school bus as she was on her way home. Miraculously, she survived and went on to win a Nobel Peace Prize (she is the youngest person to ever earn this prestigious award. Still alive today, Malala is currently studying at Oxford and runs the Malala Fund, which advocates for quality education for all girls.

     Movement 3 captures the energy, cunning and adventurous nature of Amelia Earhart. She was the first woman to fly the Atlantic, and her disappearance is one of the greatest mysteries of our time. Rehearsal D represents her flight over the open seas and Rehearsal E depicts the unresolved tragedy of her disappearance. Finally, the 4th movement honors the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two separate sciences, Marie Curie. Her scientific, methodical approach to exploration and discovery are depicted here via the fragmented eighth note motifs and methodical percussion writing.

     I hope your students will enjoy the catchy hooks and melodies, and I hope that this piece can serve as a valuable reminder of the infinite capacity of the human spirit. Most importantly, may we continue to strive to make this world a better place for all!

Onward,
Aaron Fonzi.

SKU: A0.998360

     A Celebration Miniature is an ode to all of the incredible people who get up and work with young people every day to share the joy, passion and truth of music education. Thank you for keeping the arts thriving in our schools and giving the next generationan opportunity to experience the thrill of music making!

     Composed in an overture style, the piece begins with a powerful introductory statement pedaling on Bb major. After the introduction, the second theme is introduced by the clarinet section, accompanied by cabasa and triangle. The B section begins at Rehearsal C, featuring a light, legato approach. The piece picks back up at Rehearsal D with another rousing statement of the first theme, and propels itself to a thrilling close with a restatement of the introduction.

     Have fun! I hope you enjoy playing and rehearsing this piece as much as I did writing it, and you are certain to have something to celebrate after a performance of this piece!

SKU: A0.1430089

SKU: A0.1278426

Rumania, Rumania - instrumental version of famous jewish song by Aaron Lebedeff 
Arranged for symphonic band by Oleksiy bazhenov.

SKU: A0.998355

A Celebration Miniature is 60 measures of pure thrill, excitement and fun! Composed for concert band at the Grade 2.5 level, this edition of the addictive theme will delight students and audiences alike! 

Mr. Fonzi has really come out strong with this composition. It features a fanfare-like introduction with trills and sixteenth notes wailing over the brass fanfare, a relentless upbeat melody and fabulous scoring throughout the band. This version also features beautiful harmonic devices and added depth/ color to chord textures which will offer many teachable moments in a piece the kids will love!

SKU: A0.1006560

On the Mercurial Tides is a new work for wind ensemble featuring a solo steelpan. The work embellishes the relationship that the steelpan has against a large wind ensemble. While the pan part is intended to be virtuosic in nature, the wind ensemble in many ways takes a background of several simplistic canonic themes that develop throughout the piece. Included with this purchase is the full score, a piano reduction, and every individual ensemble part. .