Concert Band - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1446801

Composed by Jennifer Lucy Cook. Arranged by John Ivor Holland. 21st Century,Classical,Contemporary,Contest,Festival. 76 pages. John Ivor Holland #1026566. Published by John Ivor Holland (A0.1446801).

Jennifer Lucy Cook is a composer and lyricist based in Los Angeles, specialising in music for the stage and screen, choral work, and pop songwriting. Of 'Mystery', she writes: Nothing has brought me nearer to the brink of insanity more than my futile grip on life. Controlling, planning, and carefully crafting the next step continues to be virtually pointless, and yet I persist. *sigh* Letting go is beautiful but elusive, like hanging onto smoke, and impatience is always at my heels. 'Mystery' is the musical ravings of a slightly deranged person reminding themselves to trust the process – after all, what good is a life without surprises? “Once you tell a secret, there’s no secret left to tell”, and thus, life keeps her mystery guarded. This arrangement has been created as part of an ongoing project to bring more music by women into the worldwide concert band repertoire.

Concert Band - Digital Download

SKU: A0.733220

Composed by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Arranged by Michael Shaw. Romantic Period. Score and parts. 161 pages. Ayotte Custom Musical Engravings #6341569. Published by Ayotte Custom Musical Engravings (A0.733220).

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was born in Holborn, London on August 15, 1875 and died from pneumonia at the age of 37 in Croy- don, England on September 1, 1912.  At an early age his grandfather began teaching him how to play the violin. His musical ability was obvious and at the age of 15, his extended family arranged for Taylor to study at the Royal College of Music. While at RCM he changed from violin to composition, working under professor Charles Villiers Stanford. His classmates included Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst. He was later helped by Edward Elgar in 1898, who described Coleridge-Taylor as far and away the cleverest fellow going amongst the young men.  By 1896, Coleridge-Taylor was earning a reputation as a composer and was also accepted as an excellent conductor. In 1898 at the age of 23 he composed the African Suite. Danse Nègre is the last of the four movements that make up the African Suite, Op. 35 (proceeded by Introduction, A Negro Love Song, and Valse). Coleridge-Taylor saw it as his mission in life to help establish the dignity of the black man. He was greatly influenced by black American poet P. L. Dunbar. He made three successful visits to the United States to great acclaim. In 1904, on his first USA tour he was received by President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House. Above all, though, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was known as a man of great dignity and patience.

Concert Band - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.799952

Composed by Brad Carman. Contemporary,Folk,Standards. Score and parts. 54 pages. Brad Carman #5988509. Published by Brad Carman (A0.799952).

Schnoodles Flex Duet Repertoire for Band is a collection of 32 easy duets that can be played by any two wind or keyboard players or group of players; including full band! Following in the footsteps of Schnibbles for Two, these duets offer variety, fun, and encourage creative expression and musical experimentation. This duet book asks the student to consider multiple interpretations, and making connections to other art forms, such as visual art, creative writing, and dance.

Used as a compliment to any band method, this collection helps to bridge the gap between unison playing and the more ambitious ensemble repertoire that requires both independence and sometimes extreme patience, especially for those that do not carry the melody. With Schnoodles, each part takes turns carrying and supporting the melody giving each player the opportunity to experience both roles simultaneously. 

While Schnoodles give each player a lot to play, they also give players some creative choices. None come with a prescribed tempo, and most allow students to determine the appropriate articulations and dynamics for the piece based on their abilities, preferences, and interpretations - and hopefully - guidance from a teacher! Players are encouraged to consult teachers and more experienced musicians as they ponder the possibilities of each petit little piece.

Concert Band - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.799955

Composed by Brad Carman. 20th Century,Contemporary,Folk,Standards. Score and parts. 54 pages. Brad Carman #5988527. Published by Brad Carman (A0.799955).

Schnoodles Flex Duet Repertoire for Band is a collection of 32 easy duets that can be played by any two wind or keyboard players or group of players; including full band! Following in the footsteps of Schnibbles for Two, these duets offer variety, fun, and encourage creative expression and musical experimentation. This duet book asks the student to consider multiple interpretations, and making connections to other art forms, such as visual art, creative writing, and dance.

Used as a compliment to any band method, this collection helps to bridge the gap between unison playing and the more ambitious ensemble repertoire that requires both independence and sometimes extreme patience, especially for those that do not carry the melody. With Schnoodles, each part takes turns carrying and supporting the melody giving each player the opportunity to experience both roles simultaneously. 

While Schnoodles give each player a lot to play, they also give players some creative choices. None come with a prescribed tempo, and most allow students to determine the appropriate articulations and dynamics for the piece based on their abilities, preferences, and interpretations - and hopefully - guidance from a teacher! Players are encouraged to consult teachers and more experienced musicians as they ponder the possibilities of each petit little piece.

Concert Band - Level 1 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.998359

Composed by Aaron Fonzi. Christmas,Contemporary,Folk,Standards. Score and parts. 25 pages. Aaron Fonzi #4834971. Published by Aaron Fonzi (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!