Start Up the Band

“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

A best selling chart by Tom Wallace based on the techno-rock masterpiece by the Swiss group Yello. Bandistic in every way while covering all the basic needs for your pep band. Starts fast stays fast ends fast. Start your engines and put the pedal to the metal.

Suite for symphonic wind band is a rich orchestral piece that taxes the musicians to the utmost. The first part starts with a lyric melody in the French horn section to be taken over by the full orchestra ending in a kind of 'anarchistic entrada'. The second part starts with a transparently orchestrated polyphonic web slowly passing into a richly arranged wave like movement that stops suddenly leading to the third part's 'attaca' start. This third part is a fragile 'adagio con tenerezza'. The finale is extremely virtuous and feriocious. It is a musical expression of anger fear and despair.

Julius Fucik (1872-1916) was born in Prague Czech Republic. He studied under Antonin Dvorák and at a young age played in military bands and later became bandmaster a profession he practiced in various cities with many bands. In 1913 he settled in Berlin where he started his own music publishing house. As a composer Fucik is known for his light entertaining music however he also wrote chamber music songs choral works a mass a requiem and an unfinished opera. Many of his works have fallen into oblivion but many of his marches such as Einzug der Gladiatoren Regimentskinder and Florentiner Marsch are still often played. With the concert overture Marinarella Fucik takes us toan imaginary seaside resort on a beautiful spring day. Marinarella a girl of the sea accompanies us on our stroll. Leisurely walking couples on the boulevard the murmur of the sea fragments of a waltz melody from a café and a concert band performing a promenade concert pass you by. A fantastic opening work for any concert.

Les Marteaux de La Marine was composed in 1999 as a commission by the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The composition contains three static elements which interchange. Static in this case means that development of the material isnot pursued (by the composer). The first element with which the piece begins is tranquil and colourful. The second element is sharp and incisive while the third expresses energy. In all elements a repeated tone is the starting point whichexplains the hammers in the works title.The instrumentation is richly variegated with a harp also determining the palette of colours in the slower movements. The composition opens with an atmospheric Larghetto containing fine harmonies in thesoft and subtly moving wood-winds. The introduction breathes an impressionistic atmosphere in which expressive cantilenas and soloistic agile motifs stand out. A strong setting is followed by an Allegro virtuoso containing fast motifs contrasted withshort and rhythmic stars of the various instrumental sections. Trumpets and horns add a virtuoso bugle-call motif. After a short stringendosection the transparent Larghetto returns with a varied setting of the opening elements. The beautifulleading roles in this section are reserved for cornet (trumpet) and horn. Subsequently the flashing Vivo starts with continuous movements in triplets from both wood-winds and brass. Next the opening Allegro re-appears once again and thus LesMarteaux de la Marine ends with a fast and virtuoso climax. Les Marteaux de La Marine was selected as a compulsory grade 6 contest piece for symphonic bands in the Netherlands.

A majestic brass fanfare unveils the start of this new exciting work for young bands. Once again Michael Sweeney's flair for innovative writing for young bands will ensure this piece's success with your students giving them both musical and learning experience.

Grade 3 - Score Only-The lilting joy of a compound triple meter piece is a great way to add contrast to your concert. “Sketches on an Olde English Song” keeps that wonderful 6/8 momentum rolling along nicely. As bands start moving intomore challenging pieces it's important that the musicians develop facility with 6/8 and 9/8 time. This arrangement is a great way to take your group to the next level. Dur: 4:30

Grade 3 - Score and Parts-The lilting joy of a compound triple meter piece is a great way to add contrast to your concert. “Sketches on an Olde English Song” keeps that wonderful 6/8 momentum rolling along nicely. As bands start moving intomore challenging pieces it's important that the musicians develop facility with 6/8 and 9/8 time. This arrangement is a great way to take your group to the next level. Dur: 4:30

Steps Ahead is a new BandQuest work by Michael Gandolfi that takes young players on a journey! Along the way there are musical/compositional techniques that are intended to educate the performers about basic compositional techniques that areintended to educate the performers about basic compositional techniques. ?Steps Ahead is a delightful piece with something interesting for every instrument in the ensemble. Each of its three sections addresses a kind of compositional technique ?transposition tutti (a 2-part homophonic section) and developing tutti (parts of the band enter to build to a 2-part homophonic tutti). Less experienced players might enjoy the challenges of easy syncopation and musical lines constructed with largerintervals.? ?Tom Duffy series editor.BandQuest® an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Visit www.bandquest.org to learnmore about this innovative series and email bandquest@composersforum.orgto request a free downloadable audio catalog.

Compiled and Arranged by Franco Cesarini. During his experience as a band conductor and teacher of wind orchestra conducting at university, Franco Cesarini has dealt with the topic of warm-ups very frequently. Throughout these long years of conducting he has had the opportunity to try many existing methods, evaluating their advantages and disadvantages. After a long time, he has decided to compile a collection of chorales for warm-ups, which are organized according to the criteria that he considers most effective. While working on his60 Warm-up Chorales for Concert Band, Franco Cesarini has always borne in mind that amateur musicians play for pleasure. He feels that it is extremely important that they have satisfaction at every moment of the rehearsal and not to start the rehearsal with needless "punishing" exercises. Nobody is really motivated to start playing with scales, long notes, or tricky rhythmical exercises. There is often a distinguished absentee in band rehearsals, namely music itself! Although this publication does not foresee a specific tempo for the chorales, they should often be performed rather slowly but without dragging. Dynamics are not indicated, so that the conductor has the opportunity to draw the attention of the musicians to his gestures and to make them react according to his indications. Timpani and bell parts have been added with the aim of not leaving the percussionists completely inactive during the warm-up phase, but can also be omitted. The chorales are written in four parts (SATB) and are also playable in smaller groups. The four voices can be played in different combinations of woodwinds or brass quartets or in mixed combinations. The collection includes ten chorales for the following keys: D flat major, A flat major, E flat major, B flat major, F major and C major. With his 60 Warm-up Chorales Franco Cesarini would like to convey the message to play the chorales in a musical way, thus raising the musicians? awareness of phrasing, the right interpretation of cadences, rubato and agogic. Above all, never do anything without putting the musical aspect in the foreground. 60 Warm-up Chorales for Concert Band: A perfect collection to warm-up and improve tuning of a concert band!

A joyous and exuberant sparkler for your next concert! This bright little bijou from James Curnow is a great way to start the show. It?s as inviting as they get and will engage every listener from start to finish.The easy excitement will motivate your Grade 2 band to their iridescent best. For groups playing regularly at a Grade 3 level EXCURSIONS also works well in the program following any heavy major work you may have chosen to perform. It?s a perfect way to lighten the mood and recapture those listeners who may be new to the art of listening to larger forms.Use it anywhere anytime of the year. It?ll be quick to prepare effective in concert and has much more tooffer educationally than the typical ?pop/movie tune? type of fare.Take a look!

Using only limited rhythms and ranges Bandroom Rock is a great way to get your beginning players energized and motivated. The low brass starts things off following the rest of the band and short feature spots for the percussion section. Fun for all!

Third Movement of A Tribute to Arthur Delamont-Imagine a band far off in the distance marching towards you - the music soft at first becomes louder and louder the red capes of the band swaying in the wind getting closer and closer. It was this image that inspired Flying Colors. Famed bandmaster Arthur Delamont always programmed a march in his concerts and the hallmark of his band was their red capes. This work starts very softly with a distant snare drum beat. The trumpets enter quietly with the melody and with each new melodic entry the music grows and intensifies to a roaring finish. This is a fresh new take on a march and is sure to please players and audiences alike! Dur: 3:10