Saxophone Quintet,Woodwind Ensemble Alto Saxophone,Baritone Saxophone,Bass Saxophone,Soprano Saxophone,Tenor Saxophone - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1416489

By Joe Hisaishi. By Jou Hisaishi. Arranged by Glauco Fernandes. Chamber,Film/TV. 10 pages. Glauco Fernandes #998167. Published by Glauco Fernandes (A0.1416489).

Discover the enchanting beauty of Ask Me Why (Mother's Message), the captivating soundtrack from Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and The Heron, an animated masterpiece that has won the hearts of the world and the Oscar for Best Animation in 2024. Composed by the renowned Joe Hisaishi, this piece encapsulates the magic, mystery, and emotion that permeate the film, offering an auditory experience as profound as the narrative itself.

Our score features an exclusive chamber music arrangement, skillfully adapted to be accessible to musicians of various skill levels, from beginning students to experienced teachers and professionals. This arrangement has been carefully crafted to maintain the integrity and spirit of Hisaishi's original composition, ensuring that musicians of all ages and abilities can experience the joy of bringing this moving piece to life.

Ideal for classroom performances, concerts, recitals, or even personal practice, this arrangement not only enriches the repertoire of students and educators but also provides professional musicians with a charming and easy-to-prepare piece to add to their event repertoire. It's a perfect way to capture your audience's imagination, whether in an educational setting or on a broader stage.

Furthermore, Ask Me Why (Mother's Message) serves as an excellent pedagogical tool, encouraging students to explore themes of musical storytelling, emotional expression, and instrumental technique, all while enjoying the opportunity to connect with a contemporary piece of music that is already considered a classic.

Don't miss the chance to dive into the lyrical and emotional universe of The Boy and The Heron through this exclusive arrangement. Whether you're an educator looking to inspire your students, a student seeking to expand your repertoire, or a professional in search of a memorable piece for your performances, Ask Me Why (Mother's Message) promises to touch hearts and awaken imaginations.

Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, The Boy and The Heron, Oscar 2024, Joe Hisaishi, chamber music, easy sheet music, music education, professional arrangement, animated music, instrumental practice, event repertoire, musical storytelling, emotional expression, Piano.

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.