Late spring and summer are great times to review new music for groups prior to the new season/academic year.
Late spring and summer are great times to review new music for groups prior to the new season/academic year.
Forty nine pieces are being added to our Repertoire List for this coming year although, disappointingly, not that many from British composers. Please note that pieces are also removed from our list each year. Do make sure that you are choosing your selected Repertoire piece from the current list.
Philip Sparke not only writes fiendishly difficult yet highly accessible pieces at the higher grade levels, he also continues to contribute to the repertoire at beginner level with his Grade 1 ‘Soft Shoe Shuffle’ and the catchily named(!) ‘Professor Googleheimer’s Clarinet Polka’ at Grade 1.5. His ‘March of the Robot Army’ is also added at Grade 2.5. All are published by Anglo Music and are, as usual, highly attractive contributions.
James Rae continues to contribute to Universal’s easier grade pieces with ‘Buffalo Rock’ at Grade 1.5. Worth having a good look at is the catalogue for Excelcia Music, with Carol Brittin Chambers’ ‘A Jubilant Spirit’ and Sean O’Loughlin’s ‘Lost Planet’ featuring at Grade 1 level. Sean’s attractive music is carried through into his Grade 1.5 ‘Zig Zag’, being joined at this level by Tyler Arcari’s excellent ‘Fortress Of Stone’. Completing the Grade 1 additions is Walter Cummings’ beautiful ‘A Quiet Rain’ from Grand Mesa Music.
Studio Music introduces two new composers with Geoffrey Nobes’ reflective ‘Celtic Lullaby’ at Grade 2 and Chris Holmes’ multi-movement ‘Wiltshire Pictures’ at the high end of Grade 2.5. As with Philip Sparke, American ace composer Frank Ticheli continues to contribute at all levels, with ‘Boundless River’ at Grade 2 (Manhattan Beach) being added this year. Richard L Saucedo’s ‘Cloud Dancing’ is another excellent piece at the same level by an established composer.
JaRod Hall is a composer attracting a lot of attention in the States. This year we feature two of his Grade 2 pieces - ‘The Country Club Stomp!’ and ‘Through the Storm’; excellent material for young bands at this level.
Also writing excellent material at all levels is Randall Standridge. At Grade 2 we feature his delightful ‘Twilight Waltz’, published by Alfred Music.
Yet another composer who provides attractive material at all levels is Rob Wiffin. At Grade 3 we introduce a more reflective contribution with ‘Pavanne’, published by Cane River Music.
Murphy Music Press continues to present a wide range of music at all levels.
Up and coming young composer Katahj Copley’s exciting ‘AYO - Rhapsody for Band’ and ‘Backlash’ at Grade 3 and Kimberley Archer’s more reflective tribute to Dr. James Croft, ‘Beacon’ at Grade 3.5, are well worth a look.
I mentioned Randall Standridge earlier. He not only composes excellent music but he also acts as a music publisher - Randall Standridge Music. At Grade 3 we feature his ‘Choose Joy’ and ‘The Clapping Song’, both highly rhythmic and great fun for players and audiences alike. JaRod Hall’s ‘Toboggan’ and ‘Dance Perpetua’ by Jason K Nitsch are equally attractive pieces at this level from the same publisher.
Grade 4 is where we have most new additions.
Rob Wiffin provides a lively concert opener - ‘Alegria’ - and a brilliant overture - ‘Phoenix Rising’ (both Shout Music), while Martin Ellerby’s ‘Northumbrian Dances’ and Duncan Stubbs’ ‘Invicta’ (Cane River Music) provide music of the usual high quality expected from these established composers.
Peter Meechan’s ‘Taking The Fifth’ (meechanmusic.com) is highly rhythmic and reminds me of the music of Steve Martland. Completing the contributions from British composers at this level is a welcome re-release of Gary Carpenter’s ‘Flying God Suite’ (Camden Music) - a really attractive piece that I have successfully programmed with youth and community bands.
If you like the theme tune to ‘The Simpsons’, you will love Rossano Galante’s ‘Mischevious Behaviour’ (Barnhouse). His ‘Life Eternal’ (Alfred Music) provides a great contrast and is wonderfully cinematic in its concept.
Julie Giroux has been providing quality music for bands at all levels for many years. Added to our list this year are the mysterious ‘Beyond The Wall’ and the beautiful flowing ‘Riften Wed’ (Musica Propria). Karen K Robertson’s ‘Mechanica’ (C Alan) and Jodie Blackshaw’s ‘Vulnerable Joy’ (Murphy Music Press) really describe themselves!
Rob Wiffin appears again at Grade 4.5 with ‘Wake Up Call’ (Shout Music) - another exciting concert opener. Equally energetic is Joseph Eidson’s ‘Frenetico’ (Manhattan Beach) and Randall
Julie Giroux has been providing quality music for bands at all levels for many years. Added to our list this year are the mysterious ‘Beyond The Wall’ and the beautiful flowing ‘Riften Wed’ (Musica Propria). Karen K Robertson’s ‘Mechanica’ (C Alan) and Jodie Blackshaw’s ‘Vulnerable Joy’ (Murphy Music Press) really describe themselves!
Rob Wiffin appears again at Grade 4.5 with ‘Wake Up Call’ (Shout Music) - another exciting concert opener. Equally energetic is Joseph Eidson’s ‘Frenetico’ (Manhattan Beach) and Randall Standridge’s truly unique ‘Deus Ex Machina’ (Randall Standridge Music)- exotic scales, cinematic scoring, digital effects and a dub-step feel! Wow!
Keeping up with the idea of ‘unique’, Bruce A Healey’s ‘High Flight’ (allsunmusic.com) was inspired by and includes, for narrator over the introduction, John Gillespie Magee Jr.’s poem of the same name before lifting off.
Continuing with the same idea, and commissioned by the United States Air Force Band in honour of the Wright Brothers’ Centennial of Flight, Lisa DeSpain’s ‘The Bicycle Shoppe’ (Murphy Music Press) is inspired by the Wright Brothers’ occupation as bicycle manufacturers and the turn of the century craze for speed.
‘On A Hymn Song of Philip Bliss’ by David Holsinger was by many a go-to choice for a gorgeous lyrical work at Grade 3 level. ‘Vox Animatia’, his latest work at Grade 4.5 (Barnhouse) is nothing like that! Full of energy, mixed meters, frenzied rhythms at a fast tempo, it’s full of excitement for players and audience alike. Oh! The conductor will have great fun as well trying to remember what time signature he is conducting!
Finally at this level is Aaron D McMichael’s ‘Witch Hunt’ (Grand Mesa Music). The title says it all! Fast, frantic, mysterious and with plenty of changes of time signature to keep everyone awake!
At Grade 5 Philip Sparke’s ‘Bluegrass Overture’ (Anglo) is in his usual approachable, energetic and sparkling style. A great programme opener or closer. Bruce W Tippette’s ‘Limitless’ (C Alan) covers a broad range of styles and tempi, with some wonderful orchestration, making great use of the percussion section. A great piece if you want to highlight your tuned percussion players.
If you’re looking for a slower, thoughtful number to act as a contrast in your programming, then look no further than Jodie Blackshaw’s ‘Peace Dancer’ (Murphy Music Press). Highly emotive it will challenge your band in other ways than fast moving scales & driving rhythms.
Julie Giroux is another of those band of composers adept at writing for all levels of band from beginner to advanced level. Following the idea of flight, mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, her Grade 6 ‘The Speed of Heat’ (Musica Propria) is a musical depiction of the adventures of an F-22 Raptor fighter pilot. Fasten your seatbelts and be prepared for the cinematic ride of your life!
Originally written as a brass band test piece, Peter Graham’s ‘On The Shoulders of Giants’ (Gramercy Music) was re-orchestrated for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Wind Orchestra. In three movements, it pays tribute to a number of noted brass sections and soloists. ‘Fanfares’ is a tribute to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section; ‘Elegy’ is a tribute to jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and trombonist Tommy Dorsey. ‘Fantasie Brillante' pays homage to members of the famous Sousa Band - Herbert L. Clark, Arthur Pryor, Simone Mentia and drummer August Helmecke. A real tour-de-force for anyone willing to accept the challenge.
Don’t forget to explore other pieces by these composers and publishing houses. There are many more quality pieces that you could access. Most of the pieces mentioned can be found in scrolling score mode either on YouTube or the publisher’s website. Many of the publications, especially those from the USA, can be downloaded in pdf form, either direct from the publisher or via a distributor’s website such, like jwpepper.com, if you can’t order in time from a UK distributor such as Studio Music.