Below are some scenarios for you to consider:

Teaching Concert Music: Pros, Cons, and Suggestions 

• Pros: I make my selection of concert music based on what I want my students to know. If D Major and 6/8 time are the main goals, my concert music is selected based on that. By concert time, my students will not only understand these concepts, but they’ll sound great because we spent a great deal of time studying that repertoire. I also don’t have a lot of contact time with my students, so this is the perfect option. The concert and how we sound is everything.
• Cons: Not all parts are equal in challenge level. Even if each section gets melodic features, interesting harmonies, have accidentals, etc., chances are one section gets exposure to something a lot more or less than another. After drilling the music for several months, students play it confidently and give a great performance, but it becomes boring rather quickly and the students (and me!) are itching for something else. 
• Suggestions: I’ve been there…we all have. The important facts to take away from these pros and cons are: what my students need to know, time constraints, having successful concert experiences, equality among the instruments, and engagement. Unless your concert music is in unison (or as close as possible) or each section gets the same thing at some point, teaching just concert music teaches your students one thing: how to play the concert music. 

Consider this exercise: if you selected one of your concert pieces that your students know fluently, chose eight measures, and then mixed up the notes and rhythms in each measure so it didn’t sound the same and didn’t tell them, how would your kids do? 

Mixing it up is important, because not all concert pieces are written equally. If you plan on using concert music to teach your curriculum, try and aim to make sure the parts are balanced and that you have a way to measure their understanding. Did you select that piece to teach hooked bows? Perfect. Then any piece or exercise within their playing level using hooked bows should be accessible to them. If it’s not, then perhaps their exposure to it in the concert music wasn’t enough for them to fully understand it. 

My advice is to have some unison exercises printed on the back of each part that highlight your focus goals. You can warm up on these before rehearsing and they can be rhythmically or tonally centered (or both). You might even consider writing out the main melody (or all the melodies) for each part and have everyone learn them all.

For those of you that are more daring and have some extra time, rewrite each part for every section in the orchestra. This means your cellos can get a chance to play the first violin part, violas can play second violin, basses can play viola, first violins play bass, second violins play cello….it’s actually a lot of fun and will keep your kids on edge. You can do this as a fun challenge after they’ve mastered their concert music. 

Teaching the Method Book: Pros, Cons, and Suggestions 

• Pros: I know exactly what my goals are for my students. If they can make it to page 27 exercise 83, I know exactly what concert music I can select to support that learning. Plus, I know they’re prepared for next year. Students are all learning the same skills, regardless of what instrument they play, and I can have mixed lesson groups and/or large group rehearsals where we can all focus on the exact same thing. 
• Cons: I am losing valuable time having students learn short eight-measure exercises that aren’t particularly interesting, melodic, or fun. Some students get it quickly and move onto a new exercise while others are still stuck on the first few. I also haven’t found a method book I’m completely in love with that covers everything I need my students to know or that fits with my philosophy of instrumental instruction, so I end up supplementing with other materials. My students also can’t afford method books and I don’t have a budget to supply them. 
• Suggestions: Once again…we’ve all been there. The important facts to take away from these pros and cons are: what my students need to know, leveling the playing field, letting go of concert music, quality method books, varying student levels, and money. These things aside, teaching straight from the method book teaches your kids one thing: how to play music out of context using specific skill sets. 

Consider this exercise: if you created a bunch of short playing pieces based on the page(s) and exercises you covered in your method book, how would your kids do? 

Once again, mixing it up is important, because not all method books are written equally. If you plan on using the method book as the sole method to deliver your curriculum, select a good one (or a mixture of your favorites). Did exercises 30 through 40 focus on reading the notes D, E, and F#? Perfect. Then any piece or exercise within their playing level using those notes should be accessible to them. If they’re still having trouble differentiating between Ds and F#s, then maybe they haven’t seen or played those notes enough. 

The method book approach or utilizing supplemental materials from a variety of books and resources helps build confident musicians and fluent readers that learn to produce a strong and nice tone on their instrument. This approach can be used in large ensemble settings as warm-ups that are tied into the students’ concert music and they can also be used in small lesson groups if your program has them. 

Selecting a Method Book

This is easier said than done, but selecting a quality method book is essential to unifying your instrumental program and to ensure your students are learning what they need to in order to be successful. Meet with your fellow colleagues and discuss what everyone likes to use. We all have our go-tos, so conversations like these can get pretty passionate amongst seasoned instrumental teachers. The important thing is to demonstrate what a chosen book brings to your students and to be open minded. 

Issues that educators often face when finding high-quality methodologies include: books introducing too many notes on one page; having letter names written in the noteheads; the print going from large to small too quickly; progression between different techniques moves too quickly; outdated pictures and exercises; boring or not colorful and exciting; too colorful with too much going on; not being tied to state standards; and not aligned with your current curriculum (if you have one). 

Another consideration is what supplemental resources each book might come with. Is the book available on online platforms like MakeMusic Cloud? Connecting your physical method book with online resources can help make practice more accessible to students and open opportunities for deeper learning.

Whichever way your department chooses to go, it’s important that all students are getting the same experience. If your district has ten elementary schools, it’s helpful knowing your colleagues across town are using the same book and that you can collaborate. As long as we meet all of our students at their individual levels, they will all move through the book sequentially which makes teaching easier. This is especially important for elementary school teachers since they are setting up the foundation of the instrumental program. Even if the book isn’t your dream book, use it when possible, stay aligned with your colleagues, and supplement when needed. 

Curriculum

Be sure when you choose a method book that it aligns with your district’s curriculum (if you utilize one). If it doesn’t align you may need to update the curriculum, which is fine since districts tend to do curriculum audits every five years or so. This is an opportunity to see how your program can be updated and how your chosen methodology complements and elevates it. We are the custodians of our instrumental programs and over time, the changes we implement make our programs stronger. 

In some districts, instrumental programs are extra/co-curricular and might not have a curriculum. This places teachers on a little island in their individual programs where their goal is to survive. But this doesn’t mean you don’t have to have some sort of guide. If the district uses a common method book, collaboration with your colleagues can break you from feeling isolated. You can then create common yearly goals, monthly pacing guides, assessments, and even concert pieces that all students should be exposed to. 

Money

I am grateful that I have a yearly budget that will not only sustain my program but ensure that it grows. My students can afford good-quality rental instruments and buy books. 

If you don’t have a large budget (or any at all) or the district you teach in is in a lower socioeconomic class, purchasing books and instruments will be a challenge. Try doing the following: 

• Reach out to area districts and see if they have old books they’d be willing to donate. Some vendors might donate older books to you if you ask, and you can even promote them by recommending them as a vendor. 
• Join online social media groups for music educators and engage in a discussion on funds to support your program, free or cheap access to resources, grants, etc.
• Build up enough funds so you can create a class set, even if that means you’re only buying one method book every few months. Some teachers with no budget even choose to purchase their own, but don’t break your personal piggy bank.
• Many towns have online marketplaces where people can request gifts or offer items to others for free. Create a post and ask if anyone has old books (or even instruments and parts). You’d be surprised what you’ll get. 
• Tag-sales are a great and cheap way to find some good deals. 
• Some public libraries have bi or tri-annual book giveaways. Check to see if you can find any method books. 
• Project your method book onto a screen in your classroom and have your students practice from there. 
• Reach out to your method book’s publisher and ask permission to make educational photo-copy sets for your students. It never hurts to ask, but do this to avoid copyright infringement. 
• Ask your principal if there are any funds left from the previous years’ order and if they’d be willing to order some books. 
• Some PTAs offer teachers funds for school supplies. Check with them. 
• Apply for grants. There are thousands of them – just do a search and see what comes up. If you get funds, make sure to write them a thank you letter. 
• CREATE YOUR OWN BOOK: This is actually not as challenging as it sounds. If you have access to music writing softwares like Finale or Noteflight, make a series of exercises and songs that embody what you love most of the method books and the supplemental materials you use. If you have a personal teaching approach, your book can utilize it. And best of all: since it’s yours, you can copy and print as many as you’d like. 

Using Both 

By far, the approach that I prefer utilizes a mixture of what I have outlined above. I have my students purchase a book of solos and a method book. We practice concert music during our large orchestra rehearsals and use lessons to work on technique and solo repertoire. This doesn’t mean I’ll never work on concert music in lessons, but I’ll limit myself to eight measures and won’t start doing this until I get closer to concert time. The concert music I choose also correlates with the book. In other words, it’s not like I’m not working on the concert music: I’m giving the students the skills they need to play their concert music by using a text. Always remember: the concert music should complement your book!

But this is also dependent on the structure of your program (note: the term ‘lessons’ means small heterogeneous/homogeneous group lessons). Below are some examples of how public/private school instrumental programs are structured. Consider the following:

• I only see my students for ensemble rehearsals: If you’re working with large groups of students at a time and with mixed instrumentation, a method book can save you since you can work on concepts together. Don’t just drill the book, but don’t just drill concert music: use both. 
• I only see my students for lessons and then we have one or two ensemble rehearsals before the concert: Using a mixture of teaching both concert music and the method book can be useful here. Some method books have their own concert pieces built in, so if you work your students up to them, they can perform right out of the book. This can be especially useful for Concert Informances, where I have my beginning students perform some of their exercises to show parents the progression of learning.
• I see my students for ensemble rehearsals and for one or two lessons a week: This is a great scenario, but time is always important. Ensemble rehearsals should be used for something that the group can do together. Align your concert repertoire with specific pages in the book(s) you’re using and try incorporating both. 
• We use a block rotation and my time with students varies each week: It can be challenging if each week is a little different. Give yourself a goal (i.e. I’m going to get my students to this exercise by such time) and then prioritize concert music the next week. Don’t overshoot: concert repertoire shouldn’t be challenging. It should complement what the students already know how to do or are currently learning. This gives you the flexibility to not feel pressured to teach the method book or the concert music. 
• Rehearsals and lessons are before-school: Regardless of where or when your program meets, you should still have specific goals in mind. Remember, there are some great lesson books that even have concert pieces, but you might only have time to do a few pages if you don’t meet very often. 
• Lessons are homogeneous: Another great reason to use a method book, since everyone can be in unison and move together! Concert music is exciting because the students are putting together different parts for a performance, but each part is not written at the same challenge level. Consider what your flutes get to play versus the trombone section, or even the difference between first and second violin. If you’re using a method book, they can all do this. But why can’t you rewrite that challenging violin melody for your basses? Instead of just having them play their usual quarter note accompaniment, tell the entire orchestra that everyone will learn how to play the main melody, even if only the violins will perform it in the concert. 

In Conclusion 

It can be a bit challenging to let go of something that we’ve done for so long, especially since we all feel so strongly about our particular teaching approaches. The best advice I can give you is that you should use an approach that you personally enjoy but to try and incorporate some of what was suggested above. Make a solid attempt to use a method book, even if only as a warm-up or supplemental resource, and do so regularly to get your students into a routine. 

If possible, keep concert music on the back-burner and make sure that the exercises you’re teaching in the book are correlated to your concert music. A simple example of this is if you’re practicing some exercises on a page that focuses on reading the first four scale degrees. If you’re spending time on that and students are achieving mastery, then the concert music should support that. But if the majority of your concert music uses scale degrees five through seven, the two don’t really work well together. 

The more students read music out of context and in short achievable exercises, the more they will develop musical fluency. It’s similar to a child walking down the street and seeing a stop sign, reading the word stop out loud, and physically stopping. They are seeing the word “STOP” out of context, but it still has the same meaning and sound, so they are making that connection. When they read a full sentence that uses the word stop, they will understand it in context. 

Teach your students to develop their musical language skills by pairing method book exercises and/or solos with concert music. By doing so, you are ensuring that your students are well-rounded musicians who have the necessary foundational skills to perform anything you put in front of them.

The post Teaching Concert Music or the Method Book appeared first on MakeMusic.

Director: Today I propose to do something for you that none of your other teachers will ever do. I’m prepared to let you decide what we will work on in this class.

Students: [Most showing interest, except for some percussionists who appear to be digging a tunnel.]

Director: Specifically, I will let you choose what we will perform on the next concert.

Having your students program your next concert isn’t as crazy as it might initially sound. Prior to having such a conversation, I searched for music in MakeMusic Cloud and identified a “short list” of pieces that were appropriate, matched the state list for contest (use the State Lists tool to easily find music from your state’s required contest list), had a set theme, etc.

Deliver Your Proposal

Next, I made a pitch like this:

Director: In order for you to receive this honor and responsibility, you will have to listen to every piece on this list. From this list, you must choose two major works, which must be in a contrasting style, and submit a written justification of why you chose these pieces.

How it Worked for Me

I once actually gave my students 36 titles. Really. I assigned all titles to every student in MakeMusic Cloud. And it worked surprisingly well. Here are some of my informal results:

Listening

I was surprised at how many students listened to every title. Many made references to the other titles in their choices, and I overheard them discussing many titles with each other. Students discussed their choices before school and during study halls. Some even skipped lunch to sit together and listen to (and discuss) the pieces.

This not only happened in the school building but also on social media. Students bargained with each other: “You vote for mine, and I’ll choose yours.”

Taking the easy way out – or not

The pieces that received the most votes were not the easiest titles offered. In fact, students choose the two most demanding pieces on the list.

Justification

Students demonstrated very high levels of learning and understanding about the works they chose. They provided specific references to sections in each piece and anticipated audience appeal. They discussed the value to both themselves and the ensemble. They identified the challenges in each piece and where they occurred. Many even made reference to the value certain pieces offered for other sections of the band.

Student Exploration

The student comments also demonstrated that they had tried to perform several of the works they were considering with the MakeMusic Cloud accompaniment. Students loved being able to do this. Image if you, as a student, could have taken prospective concert pieces for a test ride AND being able to vote for your favorite! (How could that have even been accomplished in pre-MakeMusic Cloud days?)

Grading and Beyond

This assignment was required; every student had to hand it in. I gave every student who submitted the assignment a 100. This exploration was meant to give students a relatively quick, intense introduction to some of the great literature and an opportunity to listen to what a good band or wind ensemble sounds like.

Our first rehearsal after the marching season was amazing. It was as if a switch had been flipped. The energy from that moment on was intense and ever-increasing until the moment I left the classroom.

Students are capable of so much if we simply give them the chance.

The post What If Students Programmed Your Next Concert? appeared first on MakeMusic.

With this new tool, directors can select contest literature that aligns with their state’s requirements and empowers their students to prepare outside of rehearsal with immediate feedback. Set yourself up for success by choosing your contest and festival literature from titles that are part of MakeMusic Cloud’s impressive library.

We invite you to explore our collection of contest-ready music available at all difficulty levels for concert band, string orchestra, full orchestra, jazz ensemble, choir, solos, and ensembles.

Browse State Lists

The post Browse and Select State Lists in MakeMusic Cloud appeared first on MakeMusic.

We have been using MakeMusic Cloud (formerly SmartMusic) for a number of years now and one of our favorite applications is the impact of providing students with accompaniment tracks for their solos that can be adjusted for the performance speed of each individual performer. 

One of our annual student goals is a successful solo performance for our district solo festival each spring. The ability to practice with an accompaniment track on a daily basis is a game changer for students as they prepare. This unique opportunity allows students to develop awareness of how the solo and accompaniment parts fit and function with each other.

Leading a Title I band program, like at Lewisville HS, can present a number of financial obstacles as we attempt to provide our students with the very best musical experiences possible. MakeMusic Cloud allows every student in our program to have access to music at their level with the ability to practice and perform as a complete work with full piano accompaniment. 

Further Details:

• All band students play a solo at our district Solo Contest
• 40% of our current students participate in private lessons
  • Private lesson teachers assist in the selection of solos for their students. Ensemble directors work with remaining 60% of students to choose a solo from MakeMusic Cloud
  • The majority of students in private lessons will perform with a live accompanist for contest
  • The majority of students working exclusively with an ensemble director will perform with the MakeMusic Cloud accompaniment for contest

Selecting Solos:

• As we work together with individual students to make a solo selection we are:
  • Prioritizing each student’s preference to style (dance-like vs. song-like)—we are looking for instant buy-in 
  • Finding the ability of each solo to continue to push the performer to develop the next layer of musicianship skills
  • Guide students to solos that we know past students have enjoyed and grown through performance
• Students in the top two bands choose their solo from Concert and Contest Collection, edited by H. Voxman.
• Students in the third band choose their solo from the Spooky Solos collection, published by MakeMusic, Inc. (available for string students as well).
  • Fan favorites from this collection include:
    • “I’m So Happy I’m a Ghost (A Tragic Tango)” by Fred Flowerday
    • “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas, arr. Mark F. Adler
    • “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg, arr. Mark F. Adler
    • “Jacque’s Unfortunate Boat Ride” by Gustav Mahler, arr. F.M. Bunbury

How We Practice with MakeMusic Cloud:

• Students are able to access MakeMusic Cloud on their Chromebooks, laptops, tablets, or iPads.
• Students initially practice with the MakeMusic Cloud accompaniment, embedded metronome, and solo track. As we approach the performance, students gradually turn down the metronome and solo voice volume until they are ready to perform with the accompaniment only.
• In January and February, any ensemble staff member who is not directing the class is pulling students for a weekly 10-minute lesson on the solo during class time. These lessons are aimed to provide students with insight on how to practice more effectively by using the solo as the vehicle. In a setting with only one director, students can sign up for solo help time slots before/after school, during lunch, during tutoring time, etc.

Performance Opportunities

• Students perform at the solo contest with a school laptop connected to a speaker for their accompaniment 
• Assisted Living Homes
• Studio Recital
• Outstanding students can be selected to perform their solo at the spring concert

The end goal is giving all students the ability to perform a complete solo work and feel great about the process no matter what their financial situation. Taking the time to continually work on individual skills and performance pays dividends to the ensemble as a whole.

MakeMusic Cloud allows us to provide 100% of our students with a fantastic solo performance opportunity! 

Recharge, Rebuild, and Reinvigorate with More Power Up Blogs

Alicia DeSoto serves as Associate Director of Bands at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas. Mrs. DeSoto earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Texas, and her Master of Music in Music Education degree from Southern Methodist University. She is an active guest clinician, lecturer, and adjudicator and has professional affiliations with the Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association. She currently serves as the TMEA Region 2 Vice President. Current projects include the Musical Mastery Beginner Band series with Asa Burk, Kathy Johnson, Chris Meredith, and Dominic Talanca. As the chief editor for Musical Mastery, Mrs. DeSoto has enjoyed the opportunity to compile an instrument-specific beginner curriculum to share with thousands of students throughout the country.

Chris Meredith is currently the Director of Bands at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas. Prior to his position at Lewisville, Mr. Meredith served as Director of Bands at Shadow Ridge Middle School in Flower Mound, Texas for thirteen years. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas and a Graduate Degree in Music Education from Southern Methodist University. Meredith is an active adjudicator, author, guest clinician, and lecturer, and is honored to have professional affiliations with Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Phi Beta Mu. Current projects include the Musical Mastery educational band series with Asa Burk, Alicia DeSoto, Kathy Johnson, and Dominic Talanca. 

The post Power Up! Smart Solutions for Solo Contest appeared first on MakeMusic.

It is the nature of philosophy to ruminate over challenges, so I consulted a few great philosophers—some ancient, some modern. It is a safe bet that the sources below had no idea that their wisdom actually referred to jazz repertoire selection. Such is the nature of genius.

“Study the past if you would define the future.”  – Confucius

Jazz history is rich, yet still very young. Even though the music is ever-evolving and changing, it is important for students to develop a full understanding of what they are doing. Music from different periods requires different stylistic interpretations and different technical demands.

Performing historical repertoire also presents the possibility of opening the curriculum to look at the cultural and societal contexts of the time. The role of music in any culture cannot be substituted with anything else. Our students must see those connections and learn from them.

“Always leave them wanting more.” – P.T. Barnum

When considering your concert program, be aware of the clock, the attention span of your audience, and the endurance and level of your players. When students are working very hard, there is a temptation to showcase everything that they do, and to pack everything possible into a performance. Attention spans, however, are at historic lows, and most audiences do not wish to sit through a three-hour extravaganza.

Along these same lines, be careful programming the right difficulty level of material for your jazz ensemble. Programming some music that is slightly over their heads is a good growth opportunity. Programming a set of original Stan Kenton brass features for middle school jazz ensemble is a recipe for disaster. Music that is less demanding technically can be as musically demanding as you deem it to be.

A good balance of difficult and demanding—along with easier and more fun—is a good mix.

“You can’t always get what you want.” – Mick Jagger

Students (and parents) often want to play the latest pop tunes, and these often manifest themselves in the jazz ensemble program. Many students (and parents) are more than eager to offer suggestions for what to play. While it is important to consider all suggestions, the final decision rests with the director.

Playing something from the current pop charts is not the worst idea. Look for arrangements that are well scored and offer everyone in the band something interesting to play (so says the trombone player very used to playing whole notes!) Familiar material can help build a relationship with your audience and may help introduce them to the many other facets of the jazz ensemble.

When student suggestions are turned down, make it an opportunity for dialog and discussion. Share with the students the reasoning behind your decision. Invite their feedback and listen carefully. They will appreciate being heard, and I guarantee you will learn something in the process, too.

“Know how to listen, and you will profit from even those who talk badly.” – Plutarch

Jazz is an aural tradition and has been passed down not by pencil and paper but by ear. The early jazz bands played everything entirely by ear. Riffs were played by someone, picked up and changed into something else, and forged over countless one-nighters. This process of learning music most certainly takes longer, but the benefits pay dividends far beyond the performance. Music learned by ear is internalized and is played with a freedom that we simply cannot get when reading off a page.

Take a simple riff tune (C-Jam Blues, Sonnymoon for Two, or Bag’s Groove will get you started) or even better—have the students create something. Blues is a great place to start, but even chord progressions and different sections of tunes can be created this way. The process can be messy, but the results are more than worth it.

“Mean a thing it does not, if that swing it ain’t got.” – Yoda

Swing is the language of jazz. Even if it is not as much a part of popular culture as it once was, learning to play swing music needs to be integral in every jazz performance. Swing is a part of our American musical vernacular. It is a part of our history. Students have a right to know that history and to be connected to it. It is our responsibility as teachers to make sure they are exposed to it.

It is a wonderful gift to have the many musical styles that we have available to us. Music is living, breathing, and ever-growing. That said, swing is the root of that growth in jazz, and students need it just like the air that they breathe.

Final Philosophical Thoughts

Studying jazz history offers students an opportunity to recognize how greatness is built by people “standing on the shoulders of those who came before.” May the great philosophers guide you in your music selection and help you ascend to the next level of success with your students.

The post Five Philosophers Consider Jazz Repertoire Selection appeared first on MakeMusic.

If choosing one option leaves you feeling a bit uncomfortable or dissatisfied, perhaps you’d agree that there is a two-way flow. Either way, it’s safe to say that our selection of literature plays a huge role in the delivery of content in the large ensemble setting.

Teaching a large ensemble is unlike almost any other discipline. In a typical subject area, curriculum is designed and disseminated, and classroom teachers are responsible for delivering that content in exciting and meaningful ways. As we know, though there are standards and expectations for skill acquisition and content knowledge in ensemble music, the makeup of a typical large ensemble is fraught with challenges:

• Students are often at highly variable skill levels
• In one class, we frequently have students learning fifteen or more different instruments simultaneously
• Perhaps most significantly, students “repeat” the course numerous times throughout their education. This means that by its very nature, the content and curriculum of large ensembles must change and evolve over time.

Thus, the delivery of ensemble content and the acquisition of ensemble skills is highly dependent on the literature we select.

The Student Experience

In addition to the reciprocal impact on curriculum, our selection of literature also has a profound impact on our students’ experience. The literature that we “feed” our students in their ensemble diet has a deep and lasting impact on their musical values.

I often find myself comparing this musical diet scenario to the way many parents approach feeding their young children. If a child grows up eating mostly processed foods that are high in added sugars and vegetables from cans, how can we possibly expect them to develop a taste and appreciation for natural and fresh food? The same is certainly true of young musicians. The diet their mentors provide for them will play an enormous role in their musical taste and appreciation.

As a result, it is imperative that we take great care when selecting literature for our ensembles. Each piece we select should be scrutinized for its value and place in the curriculum as well as its role in shaping our students’ musical understanding as a whole. It is my contention that under no circumstances should we select a piece of literature for our students that we ourselves do not believe in.

On the Topic of Taste

It is extremely important to honor the role that taste plays in any musical (or culinary) decision. Not every person has the same taste, nor should we! As you come across pieces of literature and make determinations about their suitability for your players, keep in mind that your taste will often differ from your colleagues’ and mentors’ taste, and this is both to be expected and appreciated.

Variety is the spice…well, you get the idea. But remember – you should never choose music that you feel lacks value.

Selecting Literature

Aside from taste, there are quite a few factors that come into play when evaluating a piece of music for its suitability. Let’s begin by exploring practical considerations (and there are many).

Performer Capabilities

We must first look at the strengths and weaknesses of the players in the ensemble for which we are programming. Obviously, we want to avoid programming a work that has difficult clarinet parts for a section of mostly beginners, but beyond that, it’s worthwhile to look at how a piece of music might strengthen aspects of our students’ playing.

Proceed with caution, as there is often a fine line between music that challenges and music that is beyond the capabilities of our students (the latter only leads to frustration and reduced confidence). You know your students better than anyone, but remember that we should not limit our perception of our students to what they are currently able to do. Look forward at what possibilities exist for them.

Calendar Considerations

Next, it is critical to consider any unique venue or occasion factors. Will this piece be performed as part of a special event or occasion? Is this piece going to be performed early or late in the academic year? Are there additional outside factors that are important to consider when selecting this piece?

Of course, we need to consider time. How long do we have to prepare this piece? Is the piece one that I am familiar with? How much time do I have to prepare this piece?

Variation

We must also look at how the literature we select fits together as a program. Always strive for variety and diversity in programming – variety and diversity of key/mode, duration, aesthetic, meter, texture, composer (year of composition, ethnicity, gender, etc.) and so on. Again, our goal is to feed our students a well-rounded and varied musical diet.

Artistic Merit

Although quality is somewhat in the eye of the beholder, there are certainly compositional features that enhance a work’s effectiveness and that can serve as a starting point when making selections. Acton Ostling Jr.’s famous 1978 dissertation An Evaluation of Compositions for Wind Band According to Specific Criteria of Serious Artistic Merit laid out ten guidelines for determining artistic merit. From this work we can distill down a few key ideas that can be useful in our literature selection process.

Look for equity and interest in the parts. Of course, a tuba part will rarely look similar to a flute part – nor should it. However, it is critical that there is interest in each part. Put yourself in the shoes of each player. Would you be musically fulfilled with this folder of literature? Would you progress as a musician?

Similarly, examine each part for idiomatic writing. If you have good secondary instrument skills, playing each part on the instrument for which it is written is the most efficient and effective way of validating the idiomatic nature of the writing.

Study the architecture of the piece. Not each piece will follow a standard Western classical music form, but it is critical that the piece has shape and architecture. Without this, you might find the rehearsal process tedious or meandering.

Look for diversity and variety in the texture of the piece. Even in works for very young players you should be able to find chamber moments. Study the orchestration. Is it always the same? Or is there variety? Are the instrument pairings and groupings the same every time a theme is presented? A good rule of thumb is that if you flip through the score, the density and placement of ink should not be consistent throughout the entire piece.

Lastly, be sure that your conviction about the piece and the quality that you determined the piece to have is consistent throughout its entirety. If you really gravitate toward a piece, but find yourself dissatisfied with a section of the piece (e.g. “the piece is great, but I sure wish the ending didn’t go on and on like that…”) put it aside and choose something else. There are so many wonderful pieces of music that you need not make sacrifices. Trust me, you will regret selecting a piece about which you are 85% enthused.

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Resources for Finding Literature

You believe in the value of carefully selecting high-quality literature, you have a strategy for discerning between pieces, and you know what you’re looking for. Now where do you go to find it? Of course, there is no one-stop shop, and you’ll find yourself continually adding to your list of works to investigate. If this is not something you do as a habit, I encourage you to start a database of literature where you track details about each piece you encounter. The more information you add to your database, the more your future self will thank you. Consider including items beyond the cursory (title, composer, publisher, date of composition, duration, style) such as key areas, incipits, featured/prominent parts, unique instrumentation, comments about texture and orchestration, etc.

As we all have likely experienced, publishing companies mail out catalogs and sample recordings quite frequently. These lists, however, should not be the only source we use to find literature.

Here are a few great options:

Networking and Sharing with Colleagues

This is perhaps the greatest resource, as a colleague who has lived with a piece of music for weeks or months knows more than we could glean from combing through a score. Be sure to ask questions and gather as much information as you can.

Programs by Respected Ensembles and Conductors

I like to keep my finger on the pulse of what other ensembles are playing, especially ensembles that I respect, and that are led by people whose expertise I value.

Try not to limit your search to ensembles whose students are the same proficiency level as yours. Check out programs by the very best bands and let that lead you down a rabbit hole. Never heard of that composer? Check them out and see what else they’ve written. Maybe they have also composed music for developing bands. You never know, and it is worth the effort to go digging and see where your search leads you.

Reliable Publishing Series

There are a number of publishing series and composer groups that have missions specific to advancing creative and quality literature for band (e.g. Band Quest). While your taste may not align with every work in the bunch, these can be a great starting point for discovery.

Book Appendices

There are quite a few authors who have created literature lists and included them in the appendices of their books (e.g. Frank Battisti). Again, these are often opinion-based, but if you respect the author, these sorts of lists can be veritable gold mines for literature exposure.

Web Sites

In recent years there has been a rapid increase in online resources dedicated to gathering and organizing literature. A few of my favorites are windrep.org (a wiki-style site that allows you to sort by categories such as difficulty level, type of piece, etc.) and the composer diversity database.

Remember – our students are what they eat, and it is up to us as educators to feed them a well-balanced and high-quality musical diet. Happy hunting!

The post They Are What They Eat: Literature Selection appeared first on MakeMusic.

Cartoon by Paul Hart

Ensemble type: Concert Band
Difficulty: Medium Advanced
Recommended by: Ted Scalzo, Education Specialist

“If you want your students to improve their technical performance skills and have fun at the same time, this is your piece. Actually, it is their piece!”

Why did you choose this piece to perform with your group?

This piece is a nostalgic look at old cartoon soundtracks. My students chose this piece because of the many emotions and moods conveyed throughout the composition. They understood some of the difficulties in performing the work and were very willing to put in the time to make the audience laugh and smile.

What skills does it address, or what lessons does it teach?

Many technically challenging sections must be perfected to get the audience to feel (visualize) what is happening. This piece also teaches students to focus on communicating with an audience. We use our skills to make the audience feel something.

What are some teaching strategies you would recommend to teachers who are rehearsing this piece?

Break the piece down into smaller technical challenges and also work on perfecting the emotional intent-chase, energy, courting, humor, and slapstick. Allow your students to decide how to communicate best what the composer intends in each section.

Why would you recommend this piece to someone else?

If you want your students to improve their technical performance skills and have fun at the same time, this is your piece. Actually, it is their piece! Several styles of music are encapsulated within the entire work. Anyone who has seen a Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry cartoon will understand what is being conveyed.

What memorable experiences did you have while rehearsing or performing this piece?

This was the last piece I performed with my wonderful students at Bay Shore High School. The fact that they chose it and we had so much fun preparing it is a memory filled with joy and laughter. Their pride in performing this challenging work and seeing and hearing the audience’s reaction is something we still talk about.

How did SmartMusic enhance the rehearsal process?

SmartMusic provided the students with a model and the ability to slow down difficult passages to perfect the style and nuance to communicate with our audience. My students said we could not have done this without SmartMusic as our practice tool.

What sections or measures needed the most attention?

Ensembles should work on measure 56 from day one. First, slow it down and have students gradually increase the tempo until they can perform it beyond the recorded tempo. We found going beyond our needs made performance effortless.

What interests you most about this piece?

Cartoon has a universal appeal to everyone, from the performers to the audience. It is a happy, uplifting, funny piece that students enjoy.

Add Cartoon to a playlist.

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The post SmartPicks – Cartoon by Paul Hart appeared first on MakeMusic.

At the Edge of the Sea by Kirk Vogel (Alfred, Gr. 2.5)

Open in SmartMusic

The motion of birds along the coastline is characterized via moving eighth notes, larger intervals, accents and some mixed meter. All instruments contribute to the melodic content and every instrument group combines with percussion at varying times throughout the piece to provide rhythmic drive. Commissioned for the Everitt Middle School and Wheat Ridge High School Bands (Wheat Ridge, CO).

South Shore Soliloquy by Robert Sheldon (Alfred, Gr. 2.5)

Open in SmartMusic

A heartfelt elegy written to honor the legacy of director Dr. Gary Corcoran (Plymouth State University, NH). From start to finish every satisfying phrase, tender sigh and euphonious climax in this beautiful, sonorous work is pure Robert Sheldon.

Beyond Reach by Adrian Sims (Alfred, Gr. 3)

Open in SmartMusic

Informed by the rhythms, scoring, and harmonies of today’s film music, this compelling piece – which portrays an action-filled journey towards an unseen opposition – include fresh, inventive harmonies, punctuated ostinatos rhythms in the low instruments, and percussion pitted against broad, lyric strokes of the melody in the middle voices. Premiered “virtually” by the 2021 Georgia Music Educators Association District V Honor Band.

Golden Celebration Overture by Chris Bernotas (Alfred, Gr. 3)

Open in SmartMusic

This overture, written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Parsippany Hills High School (NJ), takes the listener on a journey of contrasting styles, opening with a fanfare, then reflective/reverent wrapping up with energetic, sometimes playful material drives to an exhilarating close. The scoring – timbrally inventive and presenting many textures – offers interest for those who play and hear! 

Light Up the Sky by Scott Watson (Alfred, Gr. 3)

Open in SmartMusic

I wrote this bright piece for the South Hunterdon Regional High School Concert Band (Lambertville, NJ) to depict the dazzling excitement of the fireworks display their town produces on summer nights over the adjacent Delaware River. Contributing to the excitement are lively syncopated rhythms; driving mixed meter and energetic, colorful (and at times explosive!) percussion in this work inspired by Hande’s “Water Music” and “Royal Fireworks Music”!

Steel Valley Transformation by Michael Kamuf (Belwin, Gr. 3.5)

Open in SmartMusic

This piece celebrates the grit and resolve of Ohio’s Mahoning Valley community over the past century with three sections depicting different eras. It was commissioned for and dedicated to the OMEA District 5 High School Honor Band (Youngstown, OH). Kamuf’s writing – a synthesis of traditional concert art and pop/jazz influences – produces music that connects with players/audiences on many levels.

Vanishing Point by Randall Standridge (Randall Standridge Music, Gr. 4)

Open in SmartMusic

The beautiful vistas of the Great Lakes region – home to the Sturgeon Bay High School Band (Wisconsin), commissioner’s of the piece – served as the inspiration for this impressive and sweeping work. Minimalistic rhythms, lush harmonies and colorful orchestration abound to portray various impressions of the water. The piece includes a SFX track (free download from RSM site) with nature sounds meant to be played as the piece opens/closes.

Conclusion

Of course, these seven, medium difficulty pieces are just a sampling. There are so many talented composers producing aesthetically compelling and pedagogically helpful music at all levels for school bands! I promise that if you take a closer look at ALL the new band music created/released back in 2020 you are sure to find the perfect piece for YOUR ensemble…one which otherwise may have been “lost to the pandemic.”

The post Lost, Now Found! Rediscovering Concert Band Titles from the Pandemic appeared first on MakeMusic.

Ensemble type: Concert Band
Difficulty: Grade 1
Recommended by: Ryan Laney, Publications Database Specialist

“Üsküdar is great piece that never fell flat with ANY of my ensembles. Audiences like it, kids like it, the director likes it, what more can you ask for?”

Why did you choose this piece to perform with your group?

Üsküdar features two very strong and singable melodies that both the students and myself always really enjoyed. Woodwinds are featured in the melody most times while Brass get to focus on gorgeous, full tone in various ranges without having a boring part. Percussion has plenty of room for improvisation for a more authentic performance, but can also be well-covered by only 1-2 percussionists.

What skills does it address or what lessons does it teach?

Simple Clarinet break-crossing, dynamic contrast for the full Band in small satisfying chunks, one extended technique (shifting sand sound, “sshhhhhhh…”) that can be amplified with a rainstick or ocean drum, and ensemble awareness.

What are some teaching strategies you would recommend to teachers who are rehearsing this piece?

The Tuba part can be easily transposed up an octave and given to Trombones/Baritones if your band is missing Tuba, Bass Clarinet, and/or Baritone Saxophone. I always loved using this piece to teach great dynamic control with my 7th grade Band.

Why would you recommend this piece to someone else

Solid melodies, great compact size, utilizes Middle-Eastern modes uncommon in most Western music, every Band member feels like they have a cool part to contribute, easy to transfer parts to other instruments as needed (e.g., having a Trumpet player cover a Clarinet part).

What memorable experiences did you have while rehearsing or performing this piece?

Seeing my low brass section realize just how BIG of a sound they can make while still sounding good!

Add Üsküdar to a playlist.

Click here to find more great SmartMusic repertoire with SmartPicks

The post SmartPicks – Üsküdar arr. Robert W. Smith & Michael Story appeared first on MakeMusic.

Perseus by Soon Hee Newbold

Ensemble type: String Orchestra
Difficulty: Grade 5
Recommended by: Giovanna Cruz, Director, Customer Services

“Perseus is a fast-paced, flashy, and fun piece that your advanced high school students will enjoy. Its rhythmic pulse and forward drive are compelling.”

Why did you choose this piece to perform with your group?

It was the end-of-year concert in 2014 and I had my students choose one of the pieces for the final concert from a list of grade 4 pieces. We were looking for something flashy and high-energy. They chose this one and had a great deal of ownership in its preparation.

What skills does it address or lessons does it teach?

Mixed meter, tempo changes, style changes, shifting.

What are some teaching strategies you would recommend to teachers who are rehearsing this piece?

Read the story of Perseus and how he slew Medussa to free his mother from Polydectes, and how he married Andromeda. This will provide context and imagery as you work on the different sections of the piece. Then teach the core repeated rhythms that appear throughout the piece, as well as any bowing patterns. Work on the underlying rhythmic equivalences when shifting meters to help students understand when the eighth note is the constant. Work on shifting into 2nd and 5th position for violins.

What memorable experiences did you have while rehearsing or performing this piece?

Seeing my students get so excited to practice this piece and then perform it. Because they chose it, they had a great desire to play it well. It was also one of the last pieces I conducted with my students before coming to work for MakeMusic.

How did MakeMusic Cloud (SmartMusic) enhance the rehearsal process?

The recording gave them a good model to follow. We used the assignment feature to help them practice and prepare the most challenging sections. The visual and aural feedback helped them improve and make corrections where necessary. Learning the notes was easier with the help of MakeMusic Cloud (SmartMusic). In class, we focused on style, dynamics, and ensemble issues.

What sections or measures needed the most attention?

For all: counting in the vivace section starting at 101. Rhythmic alignment.

Violin 1: top part in the divisi from 91-101. Intonation m. 131-136 because of the high position. Tuning of octaves m. 168-171 and 176-182.

Violin 2: tuning of divisi sections. Rhythmic alignment. String crossings 168-172, 176-end.

Violas: 35-43, vivace section for counting, especially 111 to 121.

Cellos/basses: 35-57, 101-122.

Add Perseus to a playlist.

Click here to find more great MakeMusic Cloud (SmartMusic) repertoire with SmartPicks

The post SmartPicks – Perseus by Soon Hee Newbold appeared first on MakeMusic.