Letter from Sado is an exciting new piece for young band based on a Japanese haiku of the same name. Sado refers to Sado Island in Japan in which various artists religious and military leaders were sent in exile many years ago. The island has historically had a strong community of taiko drummers and as such the piece incorporates optional homemade taiko drums. Blackshaw writes: To capture the idea of interpretation and the concept of reading between the lines the students are invited to become decision makers about particular sections in the music. For example the opening and closing sections of the piece use the same material which is a selection of repeated melodic figures.The students themselves decide how to play these figures as individuals in small teams and then as a whole band. Their decisions include ideas regarding tempo (how fast') dynamics (how loud') and articulation (smooth short or hard'). To inspire them we use the haiku poem; i.e. the opening section invites the students to play the material as if it were a 'stormy wild sea' and the closing section invites the students to play the same melodic figures but this time draw their inspiration from 'Heaven's River ' or as we know it the Milky Way. In-between there is an elaborate heavily textured section that becomes increasingly powerful. The music doesn't rest harmonically until the whole band plays in unison. These multiple layers of sound represent the many thoughts and ideas that would have surrounded those individuals sent to Sado Island in exile the final unison is representative of their own breakthrough experience sending them on a pathway to inner peace and acceptance. Embrace your players' creativity offer them your trust and see how far Letter from Sado can take your band!

Gregorian chant is one of the earliest forms of notated music using free flowing rhythms and simple melody. In Old Churches composer Michael Colgrass uses these elements to create an aura of voices echoing in themonastery. Using easy graphic notation students have a fun and creative way to explore sound production along with the compositional process. (Includes score and parts.) (5:20)CD-ROM Now Available!Designed toenhance the musical experience the CD-ROM for Michael Colgrass' Old Churches includes video clips of the St. John's Abbey monks singing photos of various sacred spaces such as Ayer's Rock in Australia as well as ahistory of standard Western notation. In addition this CD-ROM enables students to explore graphic notation and composition with built-in notation software Finale Notepad®. Guaranteed to engage your students and provide addedinsight into this unique work.04002010/$14.99 (CD-ROM)04002702/$60.00 (Band set with CD-ROM)

“I wrote The Nonantum Bulgar in response to a request for a klezmer-style piece for middle school band. Since my local middle school (F. A. Day) is located in close proximity to Nonantum the oldest area of Newton MA Idecided to imagine the dedication of the Adams St. Shul our city's oldest synagogue which took place around a hundred years ago (December 15 1912). According to the Yiddish and English poster announcing the dedication theevent featured the a prominent Boston cantor and choir and a klezmer orchestra leading a 'Grand March' down Adams St. The piece tries to re-create what the klezmer band might have played on that occasion.A Bulgar is aRomanian Jewish Dance that was very popular among Jewish immigrants at the beginning of the twentieth century. The trumpet solo that opens the piece is a typical rubato prelude with the trumpet playing 'cantorial-style' Jewishornaments and phrasing in the manner of Eastern-European Jewish prayer leaders. Once the dance starts the piece is underscored with a Romanian Jewish 'Bulgaresca' rhythm heard in the trombone snare drum and tympani. The'bulgar' section of the piece begins with a typical klezmer band orchestration of the time featuring solo clarinet (played with a somewhat nasal tone) trumpet (or even more ideally cornet) trombone saxophone tuba andpercussion. The percussion section is prominently featured in the third strain. In the final round of the opening melody the band slows down in the manner of a Russian 'Grand March ' bringing the piece to a proud and majesticconclusion.” --Hankus Netsky