Perhaps one of the most difficult decisions a middle school band
director must make is choosing appropriate music. Balancing the
pedagogical value and the musical integrity of each piece is not a
simple task. In addition, often schools have specific curricular goals
which music teachers must be aware. For example, many elementary
schools use various themes throughout the school year such as Black
History Month, the Presidents, or Celebrating Patriotic Holidays and it
is incumbent upon band directors to choose music that enhances these
themes. Of all these factors, most importantly the music teacher most
choose music based on the musical skill level of musicians in the band.
One of the common mistakes many new band directors make, particularly
at the middle school level, is choosing music which is too difficult. I
recently adjudicated a band festival in which a small school 7th grade
band played a piece with 1st trumpet parts above the staff, exposed low
brass parts, and overly technical clarinet parts. The piece was simply
not appropriate for the band and the fault for the low ratings was
directly the responsibility of a band director that did not take the
time to realistically evaluate the students in the band.
Evaluating the performance level of the students in a band should be
the first task of the band director before making any sheet music
selections. I’ve heard it said that a band is only as strong as the
weakest player and this may hold some credence, although I personally
don’t completely agree. Perhaps the easiest way to evaluate exactly
where the band is in terms of performance level is to use any of the
excellent band methods available on the market today. Pass out a level 3
book to the most advanced middle school band to discover quickly where
the strengths and weaknesses are. As you play exercises in the book,
take notes and record exactly where problems exist. You will very
quickly know what your students can and cannot play and you are ready to
move on the the next step of choosing music.
Most music on the market today is rated from grade 1 to grade 5.
Grade 5 music is primarily restricted to college or professional level
bands. Middle school music teachers should be looking at levels 1 and
2. Generally, level 1 music will be limited to rhythms which include
whole, half, quarter and eighth notes. Trumpet range is limited to
notes within the staff. Clarinets parts do not normally cross the
break, although when 2 parts are present, the 1st clarinet may cross the
break.
Level 2 music simply expands on level 1. Rhythms may include
sixteenth notes and dotted rhythms. Some level 2 music also is written
in 6/8. Ranges for brass extend upward one or two notes and clarinets
are expected to play over the break.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
What universities forget to tell new high school band directors
Picture this: The school year starts tomorrow and you are the new band director in town. Guess what? Your pep band is scheduled to perform in 2 weeks. No problem you say..but wait.
It is the first first day of class and as you talk to your students about the responsibility of being a dedicated band member, you discover that between the football team, the volleyball team, the cross country team, and cheerleaders, 80% of your band students can’t perform with the pep band. As the panic sets in, you think..oh, I’ll just not perform. Unfortunately, ‘just not perform’ is not an option. If you think that admin and the community has sympathy for your situation, I’ll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn cheap. You have to put it together…so where do you start?
Perhaps your most difficult task will be to find pep band music that is playable by your now depleted band. How do you find band director sheet music for pep band written in such a way that the lead lines which are normally played by trumpets are doubled by other instruments so that the melody is heard even when you are down to 2 trumpet players? This is not so easy if you limit your search to most pop tune arrangements available today at major publishing houses. And to further complicate the issue, if you are able to find a suitable title at a publishing house, often the price of printed sheet music is prohibitive. Remember…you’re the newbie. It’s not easy to ask your principal for money when you’ve only been on the job for a couple weeks.
One possible solution and a solution that I encourage you to explore is to check out the secondary market of music publishers for appropriate music at cheap prices. There are several online music firms that offer quality downloadable music at great prices and these firms should not be overlooked.
One firm which stands out is PDF Band Music at https://pdfbandmusic.com. Their music is instantly downloadable and is cheap. They even offer a complete beginning band system titled Sound Fundamentals at no cost. Check them out.
Once you survive those first public performances you’ll get the kind of administrative and community support you need to build your program and the memories of those initial problems will fade. You’ll love being a band director. It’s a great job.
Monday, August 17, 2015
The Music of Jeffrey T. Parthun Sr.
Jeffrey T. Parthun, Sr. lives in Lafayette, Indiana. He and his wife, Kim, have four grown
children and one grandchild. He is a
band director and department chairman in the Lafayette, IN School
Corporation. During his 30+ year Indiana
teaching career, he has taught instrumental music at every level from
elementary band/orchestra through applied percussion at Purdue University. He was just elected as vice president of the
Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA).
His educational publications are on required lists in Indiana, New York
and Texas.
The arrangements and compositions of Mr. Parthun can be found at:
Monday, August 10, 2015
Tom Tucker Conducts Tom Tucker
Over 200 band students from middle schools located in the Stuttgart, Germany area spent 3 days in rehearsals conducted by Tom Tucker. The gala concert was well received by a huge audience. All the music performed at the concert was written by Mr. Tucker and can found at http://pdfbandmusic.com. The program included the following titles.
- The Mask
- Brilliance
- Czechmate
- Checkpoint Charlie
- Deep Water Bridge
- Greasy Kids Rock
- Oath of Honor
- The Gathering
- Turn Back the Clock Rock
https://www.facebook.com/afnstuttgart/videos/689269421183311/?pnref=story
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Featured Composer - Jerrry Frazier
Jerry Frazier is a Texas born and raised musician. He
received Masters and Bachelors degrees in music education from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth,
Texas. His public school teaching career in the central part of Texas included assignments at every level from kindergarten to grade 12. And, for a time Jerry also taught tuba at Texas Christian University. Jerry has taught it all: band, choir, jazz band, music theory, private lessons, and even elementary classroom music.
Through the years, Jerry taught in schools with limited physical resources, low budgets, one music teacher, and small band programs with incomplete instrumentation. Early in his career, Jerry began writing compositions and arrangements that reflected the needs of each group. His meticulous attention to part doubling, ranges and rhythmic pulse insured the success of his students. Jerry received instant feedback on what students liked and disliked in his writing and he adapted his style to meet their needs. His arrangements are designed to be learned quickly with maximum return for the time invested.
PDF Band Music is honored to offer the large catalog of Jerry Frazier compositions and arrangements.
Selected Compositions available at PDF Band Music:
Acclaim | Big Bend | Banuwa | Chorales for Beginning Band | Boo Dot Blues | Dark Mission
First Concert Medley | Hollow Penyo Hop | Mango Tango | Monster March | Pastorale |
and many more......
Selected Compositions available at PDF Band Music:
Acclaim | Big Bend | Banuwa | Chorales for Beginning Band | Boo Dot Blues | Dark Mission
First Concert Medley | Hollow Penyo Hop | Mango Tango | Monster March | Pastorale |
and many more......
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