TOP TEN PICKS
Meagan Lawson
1. An American Elegy – Frank Ticheli – Manhattan Beach Music – 2000
This is one of my favorite pieces because of the meaning behind the piece and how the meaning is expressed throughout the beautiful melodies and form of the piece. Students will understand how music can be a form of expressing emotion and will see how playing musically will take this piece to the next level.
2. Prairie Songs – Pierre La Plante – Daehn Publications - 1998
This contrasting piece would be great for a high school band. This piece offers a chance to feature deserving players and challenges each and every section technically with its fast tempo. The beginning of the piece will work on confidence and independence within the players as there are only a small number of players in the opening section. The piece will challenge each section of the ensemble in technical and musical ways.
3. Overture for Winds – Charles Carter – Bourne Company Music Publishing – Composed in 1959
This piece would be a great opportunity for students to learn the purpose and characteristics of an overture. The piece contains a couple different styles as well as many different types of articulations. There are interesting parts for all sections of the band and students will understand their role within the ensemble.
4. Tricycle – Andrew Boysen, Jr,. – Neil A. Kjos Music Company - 1997
Tricycle is a quirky piece that is easier technically, but will challenge the students because of it’s irregular 5/4 meter. Active parts are spread around the band and students will be challenged to make the piece sound like a child’s tricycle. This piece would be more suitable for a grade 9-10 band.
5. With Quiet Courage – Larry Daehn – Daehn Publications - 1995
Again, this piece is not extremely difficult technically, but other aspects such as pulse, phrasing, intonation, rhythmic accuracy, and musicality will be a challenge for the students. Because it was written in memory of the Composer’s mother, expressing the piece for the purpose it was written is a valuable experience for the students.
6. Joy Revisited – Frank Ticheli – Manhattan Beach Music - 2005
Joy Revisted would be a technical challenge for the students. The piece challenges the students to express the emotion joy through their playing, which will be beyond only playing the notes and rhythms. This piece is so full of life and expression in a way that is completely different than slower tempo pieces. Students need to understand how to be expressive in a piece that is at a faster tempo and is more challenging technically.
7. On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss – David Holsinger – TRN Music Publisher, Inc. – 1989
This is another beautiful piece based on the hymn It is Well Within My Soul. Students will study the relation between the piece and the hymn and the musical aspects of the piece that may be difficult including intonation, pulse, and phrasing. Students will see the beauty of the melody in this piece.
8. The Great Locomotive Chase – Robert W. Smith - Belwin Band
This piece is a fun contrasting piece that students might consider closer to “fluff” but in reality it has some beneficial musical elements. Sections of this piece are technically and rhythmically difficult and the challenge is to make the piece sound like an actual train. Students will discover some of the effects they are able to create on their instrument. You must have a great snare drum player to play this piece!
9. Salvation is Created – Pavel Tschesnokoff /Houseknecht – Neil A. Kjos Music Company – Arranged in 1957
This is a beautiful piece that is not technically difficult, but challenges the students with its slow and smooth style. This piece would be excellent for learning about each instruments role in the harmony of the piece and to further develop intonation. Through experience with Salvation is Created, students seem to understand and appreciate the beauty of this piece.
10. Handel in the Strand – Percy Aldridge Grainger – Galaxy Music Company / ECS Publishing
This piece is one of my favorites, but it would be too challenging for many high school groups even though it is a level 4 piece. This piece would be good to have in the folder to work on stylistic elements, challenge the players technically, and to learn about the compositional techniques of Grainger, but it is not likely that I would be able to perform this piece. This piece is difficult for all sections of the band so it would be a good challenge for your more advanced players.