Concert Band - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1215499 By John Denver. By Johnny Marks. Arranged by Kyle L. McKinzey. Christmas,Holiday. Score and Parts. 34 pages. KyleMac Music #812252. Published by KyleMac Music (A0.1215499). Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy, made this song famous in 1949. Based upon a book by Marks’ brother-in-law, Robert L. May, Marks wanted to put the popular 1939 Montgomery Ward story into song. Johnny Marks, a decorated World War II hero, wrote several popular Christmas songs besides Rudolph. The song’s translation into several languages even had an effect on Finnish Christmas tradition – Rudolph is now head of Joulupukki’s sleigh (the Finnish Santa)!  The only difference is that the Finnish reindeer don’t fly.This arrangement has a fun swing style to it. Harmonization is slightly more advanced from a Grade I tune, but the rhythms and ranges are very approachable for young musicians. The style lets them experience a standard swing feel.The percussion is written for a drum set but can be separated as a traditional part for concert band. Sleighbells can have as many players as you want. I often had children come from the audience and give them little toy sleigh bells to play. This was always a big hit.I hope your students and audiences (and you) have fun with this piece. I appreciate all comments, questions, and critiques. kylemacmusic@gmail.com.

Concert Band - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1047521 By Kyle L. McKinzey. By Kyle L. McKinzey. Contest,Festival. Score and parts. 39 pages. KyleMac Music #652069. Published by KyleMac Music (A0.1047521). Marching In The Dark (Grade 1) is not your standard young band march. It has a modal melody and harmony but is easily playable and enjoyable melodies, where all sections get to shine.  Wind parts are playable by 1st-year players. Ranges are generally within the first 6 notes. Upper WW is mostly in unison with an occasional 2nd Clarinet split. Lower WW/Brass is mostly in unison as well. Trombones occasionally separates for harmonic depth and easier positions. The Trumpet split is like the Clarinet in that it is rare and used for harmonic support and lower range for the youngest players. Percussion parts are more “advanced�, but still easily performed using fewer players and simplified parts provided.  WOODWINDS - Fl, Ob, Bsn, Clar(2), BC, AS, TS, BS. BRASS - Trpt(2), Hn, Tbn, Euph, Tu (Low BR/WW mostly unison) PERCUSSION- Bells, Xylophone, SD, BD, Tenor Drum, Timp, Cr. Cym., Tamb. Triangle.

Concert Band - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1073919 Composed by Kyle L. McKinzey. Contest,Festival. Score and parts. 39 pages. KyleMac Music #678180. Published by KyleMac Music (A0.1073919). This is a fun and well-written march with 1st-year players in mind. It could be a level 1/2 if not for the length and percussion parts. All wind parts are easily approachable by 1st-year players. Ranges are generally within the first 6 notes. Upper WW are mostly unison with an occasional 2nd Clarinet split. Lower WW/Brass are rhythmically unison with trombone occasionally split for harmonic depth. The Trumpet split is like the Clarinet in that it is rare and used for harmonic support and lower range for the youngest players. Percussion parts are somewhat more “advanced� than the wind parts. It can still be performed using fewer players and simplified parts are provided. There is a Simplified Snare Drum part that removes the 16th note patterns from the Adv. Snare.

Concert Band - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.998289 Composed by Kyle McKinzey. Contemporary,Contest,Festival. Score and parts. 69 pages. KyleMac Music #6323119. Published by KyleMac Music (A0.998289). Exciting piece with instrument ranges for a 2nd-year player. I have rated it as a Grade 1 though it was originally a Grade 1. The length and the number of percussion required earn it the higher level. Some rhythms and percussion are more advanced allowing for a bigger sound. Clarinets and Trumpets are split to allow for younger players. Low brass and woodwinds are mostly in unison. Percussion has a lot of parts but can be played with a small section as well. As the director, you have a lot of options to get that big sound that fits your band.

Concert Band - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.998295 Composed by Kyle McKinzey. Contemporary. Score and parts. 32 pages. KyleMac Music #6893105. Published by KyleMac Music (A0.998295). CLEAR DAY MARCH ranges are playable by 1st-year players and are very flexible in scoring. There is a unison low brass part, but there is also an optional trombone part that is still rhythmically unison. This provides more texture and avoids 6th position for the trombone (mostly).  With a variety of percussion parts (for those large groups!) it can be performed effectively without the timpani and tenor drum. There are also two possible snare parts-one being a more advanced part with 16th notes. Tenor and Adv. snare are mostly unison with the tenor part being a little thinner.

Concert Band - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.980052 Composed by Thomas Weelkes. Arranged by Kyle Skrivanek. Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional,Renaissance. Score and parts. 73 pages. Kyle Skrivanek #2890997. Published by Kyle Skrivanek (A0.980052). As Vesta Was From Latmos Hill Descending tells the story of the Roman Goddess Vesta descending from a mythical hill and encountering the maiden queen, Oriana, ascending. The English composer and organist Thomas Weelkes composed this madrigal as part of a series of madrigals honoring Queen Elizabeth I known as The Triumphes of Oriana (Queen Elizabeth I was often called Oriana). Weelkes employed the technique of word painting in his composition and I maintained as much as possible in this arrangement for concert band. This arrangement is playable by advanced middle school and high school ensembles.

Concert Band - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.980050 Composed by Camillo Zanotti. Arranged by Kyle Skrivanek. Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional,Renaissance. Score and parts. 56 pages. Kyle Skrivanek #2890991. Published by Kyle Skrivanek (A0.980050). Two Madrigals by Zanotti is a setting of the madrigals Tirsi Morir Volea and Frenò Tirsi Il Desio which are two sections of an infamous and risque poem by Guarini. These works were written by Italian composer Camillo Zanotti while living in Prague. All original material of both madrigals are preserved with some repetition for length and musical effect. This piece is playabe by advanced middle school and hgh school bands.

Concert Band - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.980051 Composed by Luca Marenzio. Arranged by Kyle Skrivanek. Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional,Renaissance. Score and parts. 72 pages. Kyle Skrivanek #2890625. Published by Kyle Skrivanek (A0.980051). Italian madrigal by Luca Marenzio from 1599. Solo E Pensoso, which translates to Alone and thoughtful was a setting of the sonnet by the same name written by Francesco Petrarch in the 1300's. Luca Marenzio depicted the poet walking alone with the slowly rising chromactic line in the beginning. Where the words flee or escape appeared in the original text he depicted them with fast moving figures. This version for modern concert band maintains all of the original material with some parts repeated for length and musical effect. It is playable by advanced high school bands and college level bands.

Concert Band - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.980056 Composed by Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa. Arranged by Kyle Skrivanek. Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional,Renaissance. Score and parts. 38 pages. Kyle Skrivanek #2891019. Published by Kyle Skrivanek (A0.980056). Moro Lasso is a prime example of the advanced chromaticism employed by the late Italian Renaissance composer, Carlo Gesualdo. Gesualdo, a prince of Venosa, is infamously remembered for murdering his first wife and her lover. However, his legacy to the world of music is undeniable. His six books of madrigals employ harmonies which the world would not witness again until Wagner, some 200 years later. During the later part of his life it was rumored Gesualdo suffered from a deep depression, perhaps from guilt. This is reflected in the first line of this madrigal which translates to, I am dying, wretched, in my grief. This arrangement maintains all of the original material with some repetition for length and musical effect. It is playable by high school level bands.