News & Views Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Fun & Haunting New Music for Young Band Friday, September 13, 2013

Happy Friday the 13th!  Our first group of Stanton’s Staff Selections for band this year features an eclectic group of fun programmatic works for young band ranging from the mysterious and haunting to rhythmic and Renaissance – and besides, Whirly Tubes!  What more do you need?

Enchantment – Brian Balmages
Series: Measures of Success
Grade: 0.5         $40.00
Dark and mystical, Enchantment is an interesting sounding work for beginning band. Rhythms are no more complicated than quarter notes allowing you to build confidence and focus on sound quality, while your percussionists will enjoy getting to play mallets and tambourine in addition to standard percussion.

Ghost Lights – Timothy Loest
Series: Beginning Band
Grade: 1            $40.00
Eerie and mysterious, this one will be a hit with your students! Featuring droning whirly tubes, wind gusts, and creative percussion, optional flashlights add to the fun! While ranges are kept basic and rhythms are no more difficult than 8th notes, your band can work on blend and balance, especially on tone clusters and haunting harmonies.

Jester Dance – Mekel Rogers
Series: Starter
Grade: 0.5         $40.00
A fun work in Renaissance style, Jester Dance features basic 8th note rhythms using the first six notes learned. Call & response, dynamic contrasts, and light playing can be addressed. Add a history lesson and an air of fun by having a couple of students dress as jesters for the concert!

Scorpion – Richard Saucedo
Series: Musicworks
Grade: 1.5         $45.00
Scorpion is ideal for establishing rhythmic security and addressing ensemble balance with your developing band. With basic 8th note rhythms, and the full ensemble engaged from beginning to end, this powerful, relentless work utilizes a single tempo, no syncopation, and is perfect for smaller bands.

Shadows Unleashed – Brian Balmages
Series: Developing Band
Grade: 1.5         $45.00
This work is sure to spook your audience and be a student favorite! The dark, mischievous opening paints a picture of shadows moving into and out of darkness before the haunting melody builds into the fury of the shadows’ wild ritualistic dance! A simple piano part adds depth and sophistication, and when the dance sections kick in, look out!

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