When I write, I have something to say – I just choose sounds to say it.  I write music that (I hope) the students would enjoy playing, the audience will enjoy hearing, and that conductors will enjoy teaching. Sometimes I get inspired by words spoken or written, an image, or people.  In the case of American Visions it was all three.  Read the fourth verse to the Star-Spangled Banner – I read it in the spring of 2007 and finally understood what my grandmother went through when her only son (my father David J. Weller) went through when he left for Vietnam.  “Oh thus be it still when free men shall stand, between their loved homes and the wars desolation!”.

I remember having one real in-depth conversation with my father about his time in the military – I asked him what it was like.  He replied “Guy, I hope you never have to find out.”  War is an atrocious event, and freedom, our freedom, has been paid with the lives of many young patriots.  My dad served in 1967 for people he never met or knew, and some – like his two sons – were not even born yet.  I went to parades on Memorial Day and Veterans Day growing up – I said the pledge, I sang The Banner – but I didn’t understand until age 34 what had been done for me by my father and countless others I never knew and will never know.  We are a blessed nation, indebted to our men and women who serve and protect.  American Visions became an outpouring of thanks and love from a grateful and fortunate son.  How could I not write this piece for my dad? I knew purpose when each of my four children had been born, but I knew musical purpose in 2007.  In a span of four weeks beginning in February, American Visions was born.

My vision of America I owe to my parents – work hard, do something you love, love family, love friends, have faith in God at all times, honor your country, respect the men and women who serve – they have always shown me those qualities.  My dad is my first musical role model; he is my friend, and a patriot.  I wanted to write a piece that celebrated those things.  American Visions is what I hope our country will be – a vision for which David J. Weller would be proud.

The opening fanfares came first – mixing and shifting meter came very naturally.  The trumpet trio in the middle – the only clear My Country Tis of Thee statement – was easy to write, the counter in the alto saxophone and flute took a bit longer.  After much laboring over the ending of the song, I finally went to bed one morning at 1:30 a.m.  After falling asleep (as the start of my day was only about 4 and a half hours away), I was dreaming about the piece being played by an ensemble to be annoyed by a metronome beating in the group.  I woke to realize it was my alarm clock beating in time – and it prompted the shift from 3/4 to 6/8 towards the end and allowed me to conceive the French Horn counter-melody (which I adore).  I sang repeatedly in the shower that morning, and frantically wrote everything down on paper before leaving for school – ended up almost arriving late that day – but I had it!

This spring as I marched down Constitution Avenue with the marching band at Mercer for the National Memorial Day Parade, tears filled my eyes for a good two blocks.  I was reminded what a fortunate son I am thanks to my father, David J. Weller and countless other men and women in the armed services.  I am humbled by the success the piece has enjoyed, and thankful that I could share this story with many others in music education.

The most pervasive musical element in term of correct interpretation by both composers and conductors was in regard to tempo.  Other commonalities existed across both conductors and composers (notably by Barnes, & Camphouse) including utilization of recordings, becoming familiar with a score through a secondary instrument (piano or voice were mentioned frequently), and that over time our interpretation of a piece may change because of new perspectives or personal experiences.  It would seem to me that the process by which one learns a score varies widely across known experts in the band world, and is a highly personalized decision based upon your pedagogical training.  Choices of meter, key, and tonal and rhythmic patterns are sufficed to say objective, but in matters of overall general expressive musical elements, tempo seems to be a common focus because of the great variability for which it can possess.  It is interesting to note that a number of conductors and composers both concede that a performance tempo can differ from the ideal (marked tempo in the score), and that the adjusted tempo of the performance can still result in a quality or reputable performance.  In some cases it is a matter of ensemble technique that will prevent an ensemble from being able to achieve the demands printed in the score, but it is obvious in the writings that conductors and composers acknowledge this and are able to recognize when other elements are brought to the best possible quality which contribute to effect interpretation.

Another commonality that seems to exist across many of the composers and conductors is they concede that there is a limit to what musical notation can convey, and at times there are ambiguities that may not make sense during score study.  Hopefully these moments of questions and uncertainties can be answered by the director as he looks at the work he is studying, compares it with other known pieces by the same composer, and compares the current piece against stylistic practices of the time or pieces of similar musical structure.  I believe it is worth noting that here that this process the conductor is going through for just one piece of music is not so far removed from the idea of comprehensive musicianship whereby the musician immerses him/herself in studying music from multiple perspective, each perspective contributing to a greater understanding of a larger picture. Andrew Boysen Jr.’s (Camphouse, 2007, p. 11) comments perhaps summarize the idea best as he asserts that the notation in the score should support the conductor’s musical decisions.  It follows that the performance is the very best attempt by an ensemble and conductor to represent what they believe to be the composer’s intent.

Flexibility as it relates to letting the music “live in a certain place” as Giroux states (Camphouse, 2004, p. 80), gathering insight from the ensemble not previously considered as Kirchoff suggests (Williamson, 2008, p.53), and, as Hunsberger observes, understanding each ensemble has an “optimum tempo” (Williamson, 2008, p.37), also seems to an important aspect of interpretation.  The modern conductor must have in his arsenal of abilities an understanding to be flexible as his perspective may change while working on a piece with his own students, but find a new perspective when asked to conduct the group of a colleague or an honor ensemble.  Getting back to the idea of tempo, both the music and the ensemble must find the tempo at where they can ideally perform.  I believe this is the reason why at times pieces are adored by one ensemble, and despised by a group 12 miles away – optimum performance tempo of the music and the ensemble do not converge.  Part of this problem may be related to that, but it might also have to do with directors being afraid to vary from the printed score even when it might be more educationally sound to do so (emphasis added, duplicity implied).  A discussion for another day – but this isn’t math or science with one right answer – and some directors are chasing a trophy  on the wall and it is easier to play it safe.  While McBeth and Giroux go as far to say that composers are sometimes indicating the wrong metronome markings they include on a score, Camphouse and McBeth agree with Jack Stamp that composers are not always the best interpreter of their own work.  James Barnes recounts a story about Verdi and Toscanini that is a reminder that one’s inner musician is critical for a conductor’s interpretation that is truly “in the spirit” of the composer’s intent.  Jack Stamp (Miles, 1998) discovered during his college experience that although Stravinksy was held in high regard compositionally, others did not feel he was the best interpreter of his own work!

The final aspect of interpretation that seems to be a shared concern of importance between composer and conductor is that of feeling, emotion, and passion.  To a degree, many of the composers explicitly mention important aspects of feeling, expression, and emotion in the interpretation of their work.  No matter what reason a composer decides to put “pen to paper”, their works are a product of their experiences, beliefs, surroundings, and creative ideas – and those experiences are at times attached to significant feelings, emotions, or expressions.  As stated by my friend and colleague Dr. Joseph M. Pisano, a composition conveys a concrete thought such as the liberation one’s country, an emotional thought such as the liberation of one’s heart, or a spiritual thought such as the liberation of one’s soul.  The composer is literally molding a conceived idea or a feeling into a sonic musical existence.  The passion of music becomes interpreted correctly when the conductor understands and enjoys the music, and is able to get the students in the ensemble to “reproduce those feelings” as Hilliard states (Camphouse, 2007).  Sam Hazo’s experience with Paul Thornton’s band demonstrates the importance of connecting the music to the lives of the students.  Paula instructed her students to write a meaningful life experience to the sound of the music in the margins of their music – it created in every student a way to connect their life stories to the music in which they were engaged in performing.  I would be interested in knowing just how many of those little anecdotes written by her students were emotionally charged or connected.  Robert Sheldon states that in order to convey passion (emphasis mine), a conductor must possess technical means and the wherewithal and self-confidence to do and say whatever is necessary to get the ensemble to respond (Camphouse, 2002). Frank Ticheli shares that the conductor must find meaning in the work, and believe in it passionately (emphasis mine) (Camphouse, 2002).  When asked about it, Mark Camphouse’s opinion is that “Passion (emphasis mine) comes from believing in the music long before a conductor ever steps on the podium…If a conductor has passion for the art of music and for playing great literature, his performance will have passion…” (Brown, 2001, p. 13).

Many conductors have written about helping the ensemble recreate or realize the interpretation of the composer’s intent, and rarely do they discuss a performance that was devoid of feeling, emotion, or passion if it was achieved.  Can we forgive a less then perfect performance that lacks emotional expression? My feeling is that many would agree yes.  I am not saying technical accuracy and precision may be tossed out – they are part of our responsibilities as educators to ensure that students have mastered.  But we might also be aware that there is another side that is beneficial for the student to experience, and that through our own authentic interpretation we may be able to unlock the emotion, passion, and feeling in music for the benefit of our students (Help them find the love!).  As Craig Kirchoff (Williamson, 2008, p. 54) states so eloquently, “Without such passion, there is no communication…and not even any real music.”

Brown, J. S. (2001). Mark Camphouse creates music with the passion of a performer. The Instrumentalist, 56 (6), 12-15.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2002). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 1).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2004). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 2).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

Camphouse, M. (Ed.). (2007). Composers on composing for band (Vol. 3).  Chicago: GIA Publications.

McBeth, F. W. (1992). Interpretation: Unlocking the drama in music. The Instrumentalist, 47 (5), 14-18.

Miles, R. (1998). Teaching music through performance in band (Vol. 2). Chicago: GIA Publications.

Williamson, J. E. (2008). Rehearsing the band. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications

This post has been brewing for some time now, and it has taken a few days off from slinging a stick and writing passes to get there.  The Midwest 2009 experience was a big reminder of where our profession is in relation to the music that is made available for school ensembles to study, rehearse and perform.  Studies in English lead us to the pinnacle as evidenced in the works of Shakespeare, Melville, and Milton.  Studies in band lead us to the pinnacle as evidenced in the works Holst, Grainger, Vaughan Williams. But are there not other authors, and likewise are there not other composers?  The names are familiar and many great works are conjured up by a simple mention – Francis McBeth, Clifton Williams, Alfred Reed, Robert Jager, Claude T. Smith, and  Ron Nelson.  Chant and Jubilo, Symphonic Dance No. 3, The Hounds of Spring,  Esprit de Corps, God of Our Fathers, and Rocky Point Holiday (though for me, Mvt. 2 of A Medieval Suite…check it out, seriously).

This is by no means a comprehensive list that follows – but it represents a selection of composers and their pieces that are regarded by many as significant and worthwhile endeavors for ensembles to study and rehearse.  There are names left off – I mean no disrespect.  These are humble opinions and evaluations.  Even the composers listed might feel the piece below is not their best work.  They are all perhaps a tier or two down from pieces by those listed above as of the last day in 2009.  But in another 25 to 30 years, we might find them regarded quite differently.

I have no doubt that Ride, by Samuel Hazo, will one day be a standard measuring stick for ensembles technical facility.  Ghost Train, by Eric Whitacre, will stretch the limits of musicianship by an ensemble.  Bands will come to know new depths of patriotic emotional connection to music by experiencing Julie Giroux’s No Finer Calling.  Movement for Rosa and Watchmen Tell Us Of The Night, by Mark Camphouse, are musical gems with significant social consciousness.  There are a number of pieces by Ticheli which have garnered some deserved attention (and on a personal note,  I think the fact his piece followed mine in the Vandercook performance at Midwest caused me more anxiety than the performance of my piece!).  Even Puszta, by Jan Van Der Roost, has opened our ears to depth and quality of music being written by musicians from other parts of the world.  To my ears, James Barnes’ The Trail of Tears transcends the idea that great music is hard music, and his work reveals our capacity for writing music that transfers well to the medium and is culturally sensitive.

These are but a few pieces regarded as serious literature for mature ensembles.  The process of selecting them and the reasons for doing so are often give less scrutiny as the name of the composer, the “prestige” of the piece, its appearance on state festival lists, or reviews in magazines often provide the impetus for its programming.  Much will be written about these kinds of pieces, much attention will be given to their interpretation, and little will be considered before it is selected.  From my perspective, the opposite holds true in regard to literature for elementary and middle school bands.  There will be little written, little regard to interpretation (as these are “non-serious” musicians), and a lot will be considered (like whether or not it is easy enough to earn a top rating at contest!).

I applaud the efforts of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, as it has done a lot to identify significant pieces at both the elementary and junior high ability/grade level that are regarded as “serious” literature.  There are a number of fantastic composers who are writing absolute masterpieces at this ability/grade level, yet their work is not regarded as significant because it is played by non-serious musicians.  We could spend days going through the history of music citing pieces that are masterpieces, but yet were intended for use by teachers to raise the musical ability of their students.  There are people within our profession that would look upon some of this literature as not worthy of creating a meaningful musical experience.  There are some outside the profession that decry its quality and have made verbal and literary attacks on composers for writing music that has no connection to the performers, or the intended audience.  I reside somewhere in the middle truth be known – while the music written for the American Wind Band to me is the most exciting and interesting written today, it is incumbent upon educators to make informed educated choices in the selection of music for study and find ways in which to make meaningful connections to our students.

At an elementary and middle school level, there are many factors that play in to our decision to select a piece for study that include but are not limited to: balance of our instrumentation, fitting the need of the ensemble, rehearsal time, balancing musical expectations of the administration, community, and students, and the difficulty of the piece versus the ability of the ensemble.  All are areas that must be weighed and considered before we make that selection.  There are two significant qualities I look for in a piece – but I usually cannot get a complete read on them until after I have started working on it: 1) Does it get the students excited about music and point them towards a more meaningful and personal relationship with music, and 2) Does it provide a worthwhile experience whereby the student, director, and ensemble experience growth intellectually, musically, and socially?  If both of those questions come back in the affirmative, it is hard for me to dismiss a piece as not being significant.  Whether it is programmatic, multi-cultural, or an extension of the American Wind Band heritage, I think it is important to weigh it against those two qualities alongside the pre-selection criteria that is utilized.

My question to all of you at middle school or elementary levels (current or future), what criteria do you use in the selection of music for your ensemble and how do you rank them in order of their importance?  Let’s start the new year with a good discussion, and sharpen up our skills as we search for greatness in elementary and middle school band literature.

Similar to the first assignment, they were given very specific guidelines to govern the creative process.  As they are writing 2 parts for their instrument, there were a couple of minor changes that would hopefully assist them. For example, the assignment due during tomorrow’s rehearsal used the following guidelines:

1) B-flat concert and Common Time
2) 8 measures in length.
3) Assigned notes per measure (notes listed in concert pitch)

m.1                        m.2                        m.3                        m.4
(B^b, D, F)             (E^b, G, B^b)            (C, E^b, G)                  (F,A,C)

m.5                        m.6                        m.7                        m.8
(G,B^b,D)            (C, E^b, G)             (F,A,C)                   (B^b, D, F)

The one thing I discovered is that I had to remind them frequently that there note choices for the harmony line were the same as the melody line.  In a couple of instances, we had some definite tension in the sound between the lines, but nothing that Stravinsky would say “wouldn’t work”.  In addition to the notes listed above, they may choose to use one beat of non-assigned notes per measure (For example, in measure 1 they could utilize an E^b or G as long as it does not exceed one and a half beats within the measure).

4) The Winds may use any of the following note values so long as it equals four beats:

The percussion may use any of the following note values for the snare drum part as long as it equals four beats:

After the winds finished composing, they would sit down with a partner and perform the duet for a percussionist.  After hearing the composition a couple of time, the percussionist would begin constructing a percussion part consisting of two different instruments.  While most used snare and bass, a couple of students chose to use triangle, tambourine, and woodblock to accompany the winds to which they were assigned.

Again though it was optional, students were encouraged to begin including expressive elements within their melody including varying dynamic levels (piano through forte), accents, slurs, and also make use of crescendos and decrescendos.

My rule of “If you write it, you better be able to play it” definitely clicked with a couple of students.  After playing through their initial melody sketch two different students looked at me and said “That’s not what I wanted at all.”  A couple more didn’t realize the awkwardness of what they wrote until they tried performing it – one clarinet in particular has new appreciation for going over the break!

One of the big concerns is evaluating each composition.  My biggest concern is not to pass artistic judgment, but find a way to evaluate their music.  There are some objective items that can be assessed, but also a number of subject ideas that may not fit so neatly into the assessment process.  For that reason, I am using a rating scale to show the students where they are standing with the assignment.

Tuesday will be a mini-recital during band periods with the students.  I am in the process of developing a check list so they can do peer critique of the compositions they hear. Our next assignment on which we will embark will be asking the students to compose in 12 bar blues form.

So three weeks into school, I have been challenging my middle school band students with a little project that is outlined by Standard #4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

If you follow out this parallel, the importance of taking time to have students write is pretty important.  In English they read great literature (Shakespeare).  They discuss great literature.  They analyze it from its intrinsic meaning to the structure of each sentence.  They re-enact it with their peers and teachers to give it new meaning.  They are asked to write about it. They are asked to compose their own stories based on prompts.

So in music…read it? Check. Discuss? Hopefully check. Analysis? Another hopeful check. Re-enact (Perform)? Check. Write about it? Check. Compose? Maybe not a check here.  For many programs, the large ensemble (band, chorus, orchestra) is sometimes the only music elective offered to students outside an appreciation class.  Allowing students to explore composition, arranging, and orchestration doesn’t need to be left to college coursework.  What I am presenting today are some ideas how to do it within the daily structure of the instrumental ensemble rehearsal.

During these opening sessions and introduction, I have asked each student to write for their own instrument.  In the case of the percussion, I have been using this to make sure they are acclimated to writing (and eventual reading and performing on pitched percussion) for battery, timpani, and mallets.  I am using only students in grades 7 & 8 in these assignments.

The first thing that you need to keep in mind is outlining specific guidelines to govern the students work.  For example, the assignment due during tomorrow’s rehearsal used the following guidelines:

1) B-flat concert and Common Time
2) 8 measures in length.
3) Assigned notes per measure (notes listed in concert pitch)

m.1                        m.2                        m.3                        m.4
(B^b, D, F)             (E^b, G, B^b)            (F,A,C)                  (G,B^b,D)

m.5                        m.6                        m.7                        m.8
(E^b, G, B^b)            (C, E^b, G)             (F,A,C)                   (B^b, D, F)

In addition to the notes listed above, they may choose to use one beat of non-assigned notes per measure (For example, in measure 1 they could utilize an E^b or G as long as it does not exceed one beat within the measure).

4) The Winds may use any of the following note values so long as it equals four beats:

The percussion may use any of the following note values for the snare drum part as long as it equals four beats:

The mallet percussion are only required to use two half-notes per measure (as my percussion did not have experience using mallets, this assignment had two objectives for them: 1) Familiarize students with reading treble clef, and 2) Have students begin performing on mallet instruments).  Depending on the skill level of the mallet players, they may be able to write with as complex rhythms as the winds.

5) Consider developing a tonal or rhythmic sequence throughout the eight measures to establish connectivity within the melody.  We spent some time analyzing our current pieces looking for sequences by other composer, I shared some ideas in pieces on which I am currently working, and we explored several examples in class.

6) Though optional, students were encouraged to begin including expressive elements within their melody including varying dynamic levels (piano through forte), accents,  slurs, and also make use of crescendos and decrescendos.

Within these early exercises, I have some additional “unwritten” guidelines for their work.  The first of which is that you shouldn’t be afraid to mess up – I have a whole folder and sketch book of mistakes from my earlier writings, and in the past 3 months they have contributed to helping me find a better solution.  Another rule I have is that they should consider playing first, and writing second.  My final rule is that if you write it, you better be able to play it.

The results will vary based on the students’ motivation, their current level of skill on the instrument, and their general working knowledge of the theoretical components involved in the assignment.  It is definitely a departure from the standard rehearsal schedule, but it gives the students an opportunity to become the name in the top right hand corner and make some meaningful decisions about music.  I am interested to see whether or not students who engage in composition will improve their skill sets in performance on their instrument.  I will be updating the project as it progresses, and I hope you can borrow this idea for your groups.  If you have thoughts on how to expand the project, or questions let’s ask away and make music education better!

Speaking of Drew – the RCYBB will present “A Frontire…er… I wish Finale had a spell checker.  The RCYBB got a huge chuckle as did I on the spelling error on the parts.  At any rate, “A Frontier Fought and A City Found” will debut later this month.  I cannot wait! I got to know several of the students in the group this year and I know they will do an awesome job especially under Drew’s direction.

I am still in a little bit of shock – I found out that “Journey to the Prairie” received third prize in the young band division of the 2nd Annual Frank Ticheli Composition Contest.  I took time to listen to some of the other winners – great stuff to be sure! I was especially taken with Joni Green’s “Moonscape Awakening”.  My thanks to Dr. Edwin P. Arnold and the Grove City College Wind Ensemble for making the recording that I sent in with the submission.  I always believe in what I write, but was just hoping for some more feedback from a different set of ears.  It is a thrill beyond words, and quite an honor to be included alongside so many other composers.

Additionally, I recently received a recording of Pirates!, a multi-movement work that will be available from FJH in the Summer of 2009.  The recording is from the Nassau Division 4 Honor Band that Drew conducted back in January.  If you get the chance, click here to here this group of freshmen and sophomores swashbuckling away!  The students did a wonderful job under Drew’s conducting.  My thanks to Drew and the Directors who programmed this piece for their festival!

So, I never dreamed in a million years that writing a post called “My Band Room is on Fire” would get the attention that it has.  After having the summer to review that list, it has churned a significant repertoire list that as a profession of directors should be familiar. I got to thinking about it over the summer, and while thought provoking and good debate for high school directors the conversation should not stop there.  There are plenty of colleagues (myself included) who really struggle with selecting good music for the Middle School/Jr. High Level.  There are some exemplary standards out there, but I believe there to be a wealth of undiscovered gems as well.

The rules: You have time to save 10 pieces for study.  I chose 10 so we have a little more flexibility, plus it creates a little larger rep list.  Don’t be like a near-sighted colleague from my area that said he would wait for the place to burn and get the insurance money – contribute to the conversation and help the profession make progress!.  A list of songs with arranger and/or composer will suffice.  If you want to explain any of your choices, feel free to do so but it is not necessary.  I will recap it all in about a month.  Beware, the fire is burning again!

Carpathian Sketches…..Robert Jager

Suspended Animation…..Patrick J. Burns

Friends of Freedom…..Timothy Loest

Air for Band…..Frank Erickson

Canto…..W. Francis McBeth

Kentucky 1800…..Clare Grundman

Grant County Celebration…..Mark Williams

Marching Song…..Gustav Holst/arr. Moss

Salute to the Duke….arr. Michael Sweeney

The Battle Pavane…..Susato/arr.Margolis

Suspended Animation by Patrick J. Burns - Any middle school director who wants a challenge for their ensemble that the students will really embrace and enjoy must check out this piece. Suspension after suspension unfolds across the ensemble, and creates some great teachable theory moments. With my own ensemble, we discussed the suspension in terms of “tension” and “relaxation”. Excellent craftsmanship through the piece – great lines, bursting with energy. I could not help but think of the spirit that John Adams captures in “Short ride in a fast machine”, and while different from that orchestral work, Burns definitely caught my ear’s attention with this invigorating work for band. I sincerely hope this piece begins to get more attention and starts appearing on state lists and festival programs everywhere.

March of the Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Julie Giroux - An imaginative and musically sensitive piece that drew a number of loud laughs from our audience. Making music should be an enjoyable experience – no matter the overall affective setting of a given piece – but this piece is a riot! From the bird whistles to the written “mistakes”, it is a whimsical little march of a different sorts that can bring some levity to a program but also bring a quality music experience to the ensemble in communicating the composer’s intent.

Out of Darkness by Quincy Hilliard - As dramatic a piece as you will find at the grade 3.5 level. Hilliard makes great use of color combinations across the ensemble as the brings the themes of the piece from darkness to light (great picardy third at the end). He replaces snare and bass drum with metal and rubber 32 gallon trash cans for a different texture in the percussion. Mutes, glisses, and flutter tongue are prevelant through the brass parts providing neat effects for the ensemble. Written in a minor key, it has a quasi-arch form, and moves from slow to fast and then back to slow. Those who know Quincy understand his passion for writing for school bands and providing a great educational experience learning the piece. The performance of this piece is an awesome experience.

Summer Dances by Brian Balmages is great piece at the grade 4 level. The entire piece is in 6/8 (except for one measure of 9/8) and from a rhythmic perspective is very engaging. The middle section is very powerful and expressive and has some wonderful solo lines to showcase some individual musicianship. The ending section is very exciting to perform and to conduct – great lines abound in all the parts (especially in Clarinet 2!) – and like the other pieces here I highly recommend it.

I remember reading somewhere or hearing it from someone that music is supposed to be fun. With that in mind, check out Willie Owens‘ Cruisin’. At a grade 2 level my middle school group ate this one up. It was a really nice opportunity in and out of rehearsals to give some students some exposure on drum set (an optional drum set percussion part is included). Everybody gets their opportunity for melody lines, and tubas everywhere are going to enjoy laying down the bass line.

If you are not familiar with Scott Watson, make it a point to check him out. We include The Siege of Badon Hill in our program, and it was very popular with the ensembles. The piece basically refers to a legendary battle in which a single knight in defense of his castle single-handedly disposes of over 900 Saxons. While he is identified by several names the most common one agreed upon is Arthur. The images of early morning battle preparations through use of voice and sounds gives way to the relentless rush of battle. At a grade 3 level, it is an exciting and dynamic musical experience for an ensemble.

Symphony No. 4 by Andrew Boysen, Jr. I worked on a piece by Dr. Boysen last year entitled Unraveling – very engaging, quasi-sinister, and a student favorite. Upon hearing Symphony No. 4, I had to do it. Boysen builds all the material from an octatonic scale (click here for details if your freshmen music theory fails you). It utilizes the classical symphony form (movement two is a Chaconne), but modern harmonic language. The opening theme is somewhat haunting, but stays in your ear long after the music closes. Boysen includes a number of different solo opportunities, and students really get the opportunity to play some serious music in a form that they may not often get to experience (while I enjoy parts of the Hindemith, it isn’t the most accessible symphony for any high school group).

The music is submitted for your perusal, and for my money is a worthy investment of time and learning for directors and their ensembles.

“Journey to the Prairie” was recorded by Dr. Edwin P. Arnold and the Grove City College Wind Ensemble. The programmatic piece depicts the Westward Expansion in our country. It is written with an advanced elementary band or middle school band in mind. It offers a number of opportunities for soloists or small chamber-like groups. They also performed “Fanfare on Themes of Davenport”. The recording is from their performance at the PMEA State Conference last year.

“Beginnings of Flight” has recently been entered in a composition contest. It is dedicated to the men and women of our armed services that protect our skies, and seeks to convey the excitement a young pilot feels on the first flight. It is written with a high school band in mind. A number of pecussion parts are written, and there are a number of very exciting and dramatic parts for the entire ensemble. I am very grateful to Dr. Willis Rapp and the Kutztown University Wind Ensemble for providing this recording.

I hope to make a full version of “Pirates!” available soon. The performance is by Dr. R. Tad Greig and the Westminster College Wind Ensemble.

Thanks for your support and feedback!

First of all, I am not saying don’t raise the bar. We must raise the level of expectations with your ensembles and individual students whenever possible. Often students look at expectations as a limitation, something that will be difficult to obtain. In my own work as a composer and arranger of band music, I find limits to be very necessary. Limits force me to be creative. Limits force me to be decisive. Limits force me to think and create a way to obtain my goal that at the onset of work I did not consider. We hear all the time about the untapped human potential people possess. Why does it remain untapped? My guess with some people is that upon hearing a comment that they have untapped potential, they do not seek any limits (expectations) to see if the statement is in error. It is much easier to say you have no limits in your abilities than to actually test them and find out.

Limits help to define what will constitute a success for ourselves, our students, and our ensembles. Once it is realized we should take time to reflect on what we have accomplished, analyze how we have grown as a person and in our abilities, and what we have learned through the process. But we have changed – and besides exceeding the limit or expectation that was placed upon us, we have raised the level of expectation for everyone who is around us. The process is not microwaveable (a rant for another day) as our society would like it to be. The next encounter we have in achieving success requires the same methodology as the first: planning and preparation, implementing new concepts to a new problem or goal, plenty of attempts and experiences. The one intangible that must be present each time in someone is that of tenacity. We must have the ability (as a good friend so eloquently put it) to “put our blinders on and plow on through”. Our eyes must be on the prize, the goal, our definition of success. Our focus should move us forward in such a way that is consistent with the quality of our goal. There are plenty of things that can become an unnecessary distraction and slow us down or make us weary. If all else is present, our tenacity separates High Honor Roll from the kid who never applied himself, All-Pro Football Players from 7th round draft picks, and Ph.D. from A.B.D. (now a doctoral student at Kent State, this is on my mind).

Does success have a price? Yes. Ask Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils last spring when they were upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Ask Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints this year after an 0-3 start. Everybody expects you to more successful the next time. That is not impossible. We must be honest with ourselves and the limits we set. We must decide upon goals worthy of our commitment. We must acknowledge that we will fail at some point in the process, and we must be willing to learn from failure. We must be willing to embrace the process anew each time, and we should accept that the process can be different each time.

The toughtest thing about being successful is that you must continue to be successful, and that can come with a heavy price. The most rewarding thing about being successful is not the prize (although it is pretty nice at times), but the process. It instills in us good habits that speak to the core of our character. Our colleagues, friends, and family begin to view us in a different light. While I acknowledge that the level of expectations that groups can set can be unhealthy, I speak from personal experience when I say they usually understand and respect the value system that has led you in this process. Success. Tough? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

The music of Mark Camphouse, Andrew Boysen Jr., David Gillingham, Samuel Hazo,Quincy Hilliard, Clifton Williams, W. Francis McBeth, Gustav Holst, Howard Hanson,Alfred Reed, Claude T. Smith, Robert W. Smith, Timothy Loest, Julie Giroux…the list just goes on, and on. I am sure I even omitted a few. I write band music. The process of writing gives me the chance to stay sharp as a musician and conductor. I hope to give the performer some that nutures their musical growth and that they enjoy playing. I want to give the audience a song to remember. Most of all, I hope my music gives everyone some hope, some joy, some excitement, and a lot of respect and appreciation for music.

There will be more to come in the chapters to follow.  I could not
be at this point without the support of my wife and children, Joe,
Doc, Tad, Steve, Erich, and Gary.  Thank you for your
support and interest.

Sincerely,

Travis J. Weller