This past spring at Kent State, I completed a research study entitled”Student and Director Perceptions of an All-County Band Festival”. I have included a write-up of the research findings on my Research in Music Education page. If you have any questions about the study, feel free to ask here or send it via Twitter (@travisjweller).
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.
Now available at C.L. Barnhouse, check out Siege of the Dark Castle from the Rising Band Series. It is programmatic work with a 3 part fugue that was commissioned by the East Stroudsburg North 5th Grade Band. Lots of good choices out there I know, but consider this piece in your music selections next year!
On my way to work today I ran into the baseball coach at my school. His son plays trombone in the bands where I teach, and he was in attendance at the spring concert last night.
“How come you never have a losing season?” he asked with a smile.
My thanks to Tad Greig and the Westminster College Wind Ensemble for their recording of “Rising Winds from the Valley”. The piece written for the Seneca Valley Freshmen Concert Band debuts tonight under the direction of good friends and colleagues Varden Armstrong and Bob Matchett. The piece is now available from Bandworks, alongside great music from Patrick J. Burns and Chris Bernotas!
I am very pleased to have received an Editor’s Choice for “Festival and Ballade for Winds”, a piece I wrote for the 2009 Pittsburgh Diocesan Honor Band. A recording should be up in the coming weeks at Wingert-Jones. Other new works coming this summer include “Moravian Dance” and “A West Highland Fanfare” from FJH, and “Siege of the Dark Castle” from Barnhouse.
Bad Behavior has blocked 396 access attempts in the last 7 days.
Recent Comments