C Instrument - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1376331

By Heidi Savoie. By Heidi Savoie. Arranged by Heidi Savoie. Classical,Contemporary,Instructional,Jazz,Singer/Songwriter. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. Heidi Savoie #960874. Published by Heidi Savoie (A0.1376331).

This is a lead sheet for any instrument for the song Almost May. 

Almost May - Theme and Variations
Backstory: 
Years ago I wrote a simple piano piece for my students. As instrumental music can fully exist outside the confines of words, it can be difficult to find the right title for something that is pure sound and possibility. I took inspiration from the time of year in which I had composed it and stamped it, “Almost May�. Like springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, “Almost May� unfolds slowly and majestically, with ever-evolving layers for the senses to discover. 

What to listen for: Theme

The main theme is first presented by the piano with minimal fanfare. This part was written to be easy enough for a child, which despite being sparing of notes, delivers rich harmonic content. Every note has been carefully curated for the optimal combination of accessibility and depth. Weaving chromatically into distantly-related keys, the melody takes small steps into contrasting musical spaces. In a wordless procession, the storyline plays out, as if the theme discovers that someone very different lives next door, and they slowly become inseparable. The piano is accompanied by an airy touch of brushes against a snare drum, like the pitter patter of soft feline steps. In the low frequency range, the upright bass supports and deepens the tonal palette with its earthy underpinnings. 

What to listen for: Variation I 
The unmistakable string section arrives like a breath of warm air. Lush, warm and reassuring like sunshine on your cheeks, the string parts begin with long tones. This broadness and stability will evolve into more layers of complexity throughout the section. While the role of the string section is background accompaniment, it undergoes textural changes which allow for some layers to briefly rise to the forefront as melody. Careful listening to the string parts will reveal an oceanic churning, a motion from background to foreground with expansions and contractions along the way. Floating overtop this density is the improvised piano solo, with ascending gestures that progress in detail and density. Each instrument enters a general unfolding and growth period in the first variation. The bass and drums include more fills than before, as the ensemble tends gradually toward more grandeur. 

What to listen for: Variation II 

The final variation opens with a decadent treatment of the melody. What was initially expressed by a soloist as a childlike plea is reimagined as a two-part conversation between the piano and lead viola. The obbligato voiced in the viola is a derivation of the melody that holds the space between phrases so the listener's attention is passed seamlessly between the piano and viola part. This dialogue features commentary on the original melody in the form of ornamentation and taking surprising pathways to expected destinations. The rhythm section (bass and drums) takes more liberties in creating a verdant soundscape as the ensemble rises to a final climax. 

Credits: 
I would like to thank Cole Canaday for the nuance, imagination and depth of understanding with which he brought this piece to life. I would also like to thank Blake Hamilton and Anastace for providing invaluable audio engineering feedback.

C Instrument - Level 1 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1195808

Composed by Charles Francois Gounod and Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Langanho. Easter,Religious,Romantic Period,Sacred,Wedding. Lead Sheet / Fake Book. 1 pages. Avery Lynn Jordan #794977. Published by Avery Lynn Jordan (A0.1195808).

The text describes the availability of a arrangement for beginners of the iconic classical piece, Ave Maria by Gounod. The lead sheet is perfect for music teachers and parents who want to introduce their children to this repertoire. The text highlights the accessibility and simplicity of the Lead Sheet, making it a fantastic choice for anyone wishing to learn more about classical music and its styles. The piece is widely used in appropriate events, becoming a popular choice for professional singers and musicians. The text encourages readers not to miss the opportunity to acquire this iconic piece of classical music in a simplified and accessible version.

Baritone Horn TC,Vocal Solo,Voice - Level 5 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1176334

Composed by Gioachino Rossini. Arranged by Nicole Elyse DiPaolo. 19th Century,Classical,Opera,Romantic Period. 13 pages. Nicole Elyse DiPaolo #776458. Published by Nicole Elyse DiPaolo (A0.1176334).

The first of its kind, this is a genuinely playable piano/vocal reduction of Largo al factotum,� the show-stopping first aria from Gioachino Rossini’s famous opera Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). Most reductions of this aria pose a physical hazard to audition and other collaborative pianists who risk injury by trying to grab every fast repeated note and chord in this extremely long aria, nor do the repeated notes tend to come out properly or sound right on pianos compared to the string instruments for which they were written. With this reduction—which was specifically created to be more ergonomic at the piano and safer to get through on long audition-playing days—pianists may now enjoy playing this aria comfortably, without risking strain/injury. However, it’ll still be a tour de force for the baritone!

Note that this score does not make any cuts to the aria; therefore, it is also suitable for recital settings without time limits.

All Accessible Accompaniments, including this one, boast several unique features:

1. No reduction ever requires stretches of over an octave, not including bass notes meant to be held or “fudged� with the pedal (though octaves may also contain chord tones within them). This reduces the amount of rearranging that smaller-handed pianists must already do. Obviously, further reworkings are to be expected and pianists should feel free to add to or modify what I’ve provided.

2. I’ve included less essential, but potentially desirable additional voices/passages in cue-size noteheads so that pianists can easily see them, but know that they are not necessary in a “sink or swim� accompanying situation. Presenting less essential material in cue-size noteheads also reduces visual clutter on the page.
 
3. In addition to the composer’s markings, when needed, I have included hints on particular notes to bring out when the singer is likely to need them as a pitch anchor or when it is not obvious which line should be brought out within the texture.

4. All page turns have been carefully selected so as to result in the least possible disruption to the pianist when possible. 

5. When known, I’ve noted alternate cuts that singers might like to take within certain arias.
 
6. In some cases I’ve modernized spelling conventions for easier readability (for example, by replacing “ß� with “ss� in German arias) and occasionally I've enharmonically respelled brief passages for greater clarity. I’ve also replaced some text “cresc.� and “dim.� markings with hairpins, which are easier to see in high-pressure sight-reading situations.

About the Arranger:

Praised as a sensitive pianist and outstanding accompanist who delivers powerful interpretations, Nicole Elyse DiPaolo enjoys a multifaceted career as a sought-after collaborative pianist, educational composer, arranger, coach, private teacher, and adjunct music professor. Currently based in the Cleveland area, Ms. DiPaolo has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Ambassador Chamber Players on multiple occasions and as a recitalist, collaborator, and presenter worldwide. Currently, Ms. DiPaolo is an online Adjunct Lecturer in Music at Indiana University; the Principal Theory Teacher at Liberty Park Music, an online-only video subscription-based music school; an invited blog contributor and guest instructor at Tonebase; and a sought-after online instructor of piano, music theory, and composition who includes partimento and historical improvisation in her curricula. 
For more information, please visit http://ndipaolo.musicaneo.com .