Travis J. Weller

The recent Holiday concert which the students at Mercer presented was really well done, and as their teacher I am especially proud of their efforts over the past two months. There were some very traditional settings like “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Winter Wonderland” (both older arrangements by Jerry Nowak), mixed in with some newer and interesting settings of familiar Christmas carols like “Hey Man Christmas Swings!” by Larry Clark, “Passacaglia on an English Carol” by Robert Longfield, and “Bell Carol ala Big Band” by Rob Romeyn. I have to give full credit to Michael Worthy at Ole Miss for the moment that took the audience’s breath away and brought tears to the eyes of many moms. During the Middle School Band’s performance of “Christmas Time Is Here” (from A Charlie Brown Christmas, arranged by Michael Sweeney), we played a pre-recorded audio clip of each senior band member in the wind ensemble and concert band wishing their parents Merry Christmas, sharing a Christmas wish, or thanking them for all their support through the years. Michael shared the idea at the Midwest clinic last year, and it worked really well. Read more…

Quick: Name three composers of wind band literature whose music was written before 1950 that will still be revered in the year 2020?

That should be a fairly easy question for any conductor who has studied scores and understands the pieces that have been at the foundation of the American Wind Ensemble and Concert Band.

Name three composers who wrote music for wind ensembles or concert bands between the years of 1950 and 1980 and will still be played in the year 2020.

Hmm….

Read more…

I am pleased to announce score images and recordings of both A West Highland Fanfare and Moravian Dance are up FJH for your perusal. Both pieces enjoyed exciting debuts over the past year, and I am grateful to the many students and their sponsoring directors who were involved in both performances. A West Highland Fanfare is written with MS/JH Band in mind, and maintains a steady tempo throughout in 6/8 time. It makes use of the Scotch-Irish Folk Song Loch Lomond though it is set in a non-traditional meter. Moravian Dance was sketched out over the course of several summers, and draws its influence from the music and composers of what was the former region of Moravia in Europe. The Czeck-style dance builds in texture, intensity, and tempo as it unfolds and the piece spirals towards a spirited conclusion. There are numerous opportunities for each section to contribute, and it generates quite a pit of excitement among the players.

I am pleased to announce that “Journey to the Prairie” audio has finally been posted at Manhattan Beach Music. The recording is by Dr. Edwin P. Arnold and the Grove City College Wind Ensemble – thank you Doc and students! My thanks to sound engineer Dr. Joseph M. Pisano for his assistance as well! The piece should be available by September 1, 2011. For those of you who have been asking – for over a year now – thank you for your patience and support!

Now available from Wingert-Jones, Festival and Ballade for Winds was written for the 2009 Pittsburgh Diocesean Honor Band hosted by Bishop Canevin High School. I am especially proud of this piece as it was the first one I wrote completely away from a piano or keyboard. The work develops from the opening motifs, and after the energetic allegro spiritoso there is a lush and refelctive ballade – a real “jersey cow” section as Julie Giroux would say. There are recordings posted at both WJ and Pepper for your perusal. It is a great “festival” selection or concert opener for high school band at the grade 3 level. My thanks to the Pittsburgh Diocesean Band Directors for giving me the opportunity to share this music with them and work with such great kids. I know there are lots of good choices out there, but please consider Festival and Ballade for Winds as you make your selections for next year.