News & Views Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Masterworks for Two 31 July, 2017

alfred-513335Masterworks for Two
This outstanding collection features 10 classic songs for any combination of two voices and piano. Alfred Music’s top masterwork arrangers provide supportive accompaniments, well-crafted vocal lines, historically informed editorial markings, plus IPA pronunciation guides and complete translations for every piece in a foreign language. Superb recital, concert, and contest repertoire for developing singers.

Find more repertoire resources for young singers on our website, or contact us for more information. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!


Choral #FlashbackFriday 28 July, 2017

recommended by Jen Sper and Alissa Ruth, School Choral Music Specialists

#FLASHBACKFRIDAY
Looking for some quality throwback pieces for your choir? We’re here to help!

FOR HIGH SCHOOL CHOIRS
It Had to Be YouIt Had to Be You arr. Greg Gilpin
This classic, first published in 1924 and recorded by a wide variety of artists, is the perfect beginning-of-the-year jazz number for your SATB choir. It features accessible four part writing, a supportive piano accompaniment, and attainable (but still warm and colorful) jazz harmonies.

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIRS
A Banana Split for My BabyA Banana Split For My Baby arr. Rosana Eckert
This arrangement of the sweet Louis Prima tune presents the perfect opportunity to introduce and develop the vocal jazz style. The voice-leading has been approached with care, the ranges lie in a comfortable place, both melody and harmony are accessible for young singers, and there is a good blend of unison and part-writing. If you have a young show choir, this would be a fun piece to start off the year!

FOR MEN’S CHOIRS
It's Still Rock and Roll to MeIt’s Still Rock and Roll to Me arr. Paul Langford
This Billy Joel piece, considered a rock and roll classic, transfers quite effectively into the choral medium. The feel of the piece is authentic to the original, and it keeps the high energy that the piece is known for. Often in men’s voicings, we’ve found that the melodies can be lost or obscured in the part writing, but that hasn’t happened here, and because of that, in addition to the nice blend of part writing and unison, this piece is one with which your men’s choir can find success.

FOR ELEMENTARY CHOIRS
We'll Meet AgainWe’ll Meet Again arr. Roger Emerson
This charming WWII era piece (recently featured on the last broadcast of the Colbert Report) would make an effective concert closer for your young choir. It utilizes appropriately light, bright ranges, primarily homophonic writing, and the sentiment is lovely (not to mention it provides the perfect opportunity for a little soft shoe).

For more information about these pieces, as well as other recommendations, visit our website or contact the Stanton’s Choral Department at 1-800-42-MUSIC, Ext. 1, or choral@stantons.com. We are excited to help with all of your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Alissa Ruth began working at Stanton’s in the summer of 2016. She is a former middle and high school choir director and holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from Capital University. She is an active choral singer in the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, as well as various choirs in the Columbus area, and she spends her free time running, doing yoga, cooking, and watching Netflix.

Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.


Composer Profile: Dan Forrest 26 July, 2017

by Alissa Ruth, Choral Specialist

Dan Forrest (b. 1978) has been described as having “an undoubted gift for writing beautiful music….that is truly magical” (NY Concert Review), with works hailed as “magnificent, very cleverly constructed sound sculpture” (Classical Voice), and “superb writing…full of spine-tingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). In the last decade, Dan’s music has become well established in the repertoire of choirs in the U.S. and abroad, through both smaller works and his major works Requiem for the Living and Jubilate Deo. Dan’s music has received dozens of awards and distinctions, with premieres in major venues around the world. Dan holds graduate degrees in composition and piano performance, and is active as a composer, educator, and pianist.

Dan’s career and compositions are framed by his belief that “All good things, including any beauty that we encounter, are from God, through God, and ultimately to God. All beauty is God’s beauty, wherever it is found.”

The music of Dan Forrest is available through Stanton’s from several publishers, including: Beckenhorst Press, Hal Leonard, Lorenz, and Hinshaw. For more information about Dan Forrest and his music, please visit his website.

Stanton’s Recommends: Good Night Dear Heart, O Come All Ye Faithful, See Amid the Winter’s Snow, The Work of Christmas, Psalm 8

About the Author:
Alissa Ruth began working at Stanton’s in the summer of 2016. She is a former middle and high school choir director and holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from Capital University. She is an active choral singer in the Columbus area, and spends her free time running, doing yoga, cooking, and watching Netflix.


NEXT WEEK: School Choral Week 2017! 24 July, 2017

Featuring talented clinicians from major publishers, Stanton’s summer choral clinics are a fantastic way to jump-start your school year! We always look forward to visiting with our regular customers, matching up faces with names of new attendees, and meeting teachers new to Stanton’s from across the country.

Mark your calendar for these dates:

Elementary General Music Clinic
Wednesday August 2, 2017
Clinician: Sharon Burch
THE JOY OF SINGING

for Young & Developing Choir
Thursday August 3, 2017
Clinicians: John Jacobson, Cristi Cary Miller & Rollo Dilworth

for Middle & High School Choir
Friday August 4, 2017
Clinicians: John Jacobson, Cristi Cary Miller, Rollo Dilworth & Mac Huff

Stanton’s Super Session
Saturday August 5, 2017
Clinicians: Andy Beck, Greg Gilpin & Jen Sper


Registration is open now!
 For more detailed information regarding any of these clinics, contact the choral department at 1-800-426-8742, extension 1. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!


2017 Marching Band Favorites, Vol. 2 21 July, 2017

recommended by Ken Tilger, Band Education Specialist

Among the new marching band releases each year are arrangements that just stand out.  You can tell just by hearing them that they will be best-sellers and hits with your students because of the great arrangement, popularity of the song, or both.  In case you overlooked them, I’m happy to share our favorite new marching band charts so you can snag them just before the season begins.  For Vol. 1 of our favorites check out yesterday’s post.

That’s My Girl arr. Tom Wallace
With its brassy horn licks, funky rhythms and roaring bass, That’s My Girl by the group Fifth Harmony, gives dance lines and bands the necessary ingredients they need to produce an exciting and entertaining performance.

Faith arr. Paul Murtha & Will Rapp
From the entertaining blockbuster animated film Sing, this driving rock tune was recorded by the legendary Stevie Wonder and featuring Ariana Grande. Just try sitting still for this one!

Can’t Stop the Feeling arr. Paul Murtha
Justin Timerlake has taken the pop world by storm with the release of this chart topping mega hit! With an infectious groove and catchy riffs this arrangement will add a contemporary flair on the field or in the stands.

Bang Bang arr. Tom Wallace
Bang Bang is the latest hit from the new album by venerable punk rock band Green Day. Aggressive power chords and chaotic musical stylings deliver the goods as a powerful and convincing opener. The furious nature of the verse and chorus is contrasted with an Arabic sounding bridge, providing a quick and surprising musical twist, all of which is amazingly captured in this Tom Wallace chart.

Find more exciting charts for the upcoming marching season on our website, or contact us for more recommendations! Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
A former band director, Ken taught grade 5-12 band and music appreciation in both public and parochial schools in central Ohio, and joined the Stanton’s team in 2004. His iPod ranges from jazz and funk to classic and alternative rock, and symphonies.  Besides music, he geeks out on comic books, amusement parks, hockey (especially the Penguins), and all things Pittsburgh.


2017 Marching Band Favorites, Vol. 1 19 July, 2017

recommended by Ken Tilger, Band Education Specialist

Among the new marching band releases each year are arrangements that just stand out.  You can tell just by hearing them that they will be best-sellers and hits with your students because of the great arrangement, popularity of the song, or both.  In case you overlooked these, I’m happy to share our favorite new marching band charts over the next 2 days so you can snag them just before the season begins.

24K Magic arr. Tom Wallace
Bruno Mars’ hit song, 24K Magic, covers all the bases. Heavily influenced by the styles of the ‘70s and ‘80s, this is a retro funk, disco, R&B sensation. There is something here for everyone, especially dance lines, and bands that are looking to grab some attention in the stands.

HandClap arr. Paul Murtha
Recorded by Fitz and the Tantrums, you’ll hear this catchy tune used in TV commercials as well as on the airwaves. This energetic chart is a great way to get the crowd involved with the signature hand clapping section.

Chained To the Rhythm arr. Jay Dawson
Debuting at the 2017 Grammy’s, Katy Perry’s thought provoking release became an instant international hit.  With latin/disco rhythms this is a perfect choice to perform with your dance line, or as a crowd-pleasing pep band chart.

Starboy arr. Ishbah Cox
Recorded by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk, here is an energetic stands tune that skillfully passes the melody from section to section.

Find more exciting charts for the upcoming marching season on our website, or contact us for more recommendations! Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
A former band director, Ken taught grade 5-12 band and music appreciation in both public and parochial schools in central Ohio, and joined the Stanton’s team in 2004. His iPod ranges from jazz and funk to classic and alternative rock, and symphonies.  Besides music, he geeks out on comic books, amusement parks, hockey (especially the Penguins), and all things Pittsburgh.


Excellence in Choral Literature 2017 18 July, 2017

Stanton’s Sheet Music is pleased to announce our 24th annual Excellence in Choral Literature Clinic!

EXCELLENCE IN CHORAL LITERATURE
Saturday 8/26/2017, 9:00 am-12:30 pm
Stanton’s Sheet Music, James E. Strouse Workshop Hall, 330 S. Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
REGISTRATION: $20

This session, led by James Gallagher (Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University), is designed to help you select concert and contest literature from some of choral music’s most distinguished composers, featuring the best in new music for mixed, treble, and men’s choirs at all levels of difficulty. Your registration fee includes a complimentary packet of over 30 titles. Come join us to discover beautiful music and share ideas with colleagues and friends!

For more information, please contact us by email, or call us at 1.800.426.8742. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!


The Music Show 17 July, 2017

recommended by Jen Sper and Alissa Ruth, School Choral and Classroom Music Specialists

The Music Show by John Jacobson & Roger Emerson

“Join your favorite animated characters led by the famous Luigi’s Baton and his side-kick Mike the Microphone, as they introduce young music students to the ‘FUN’damentals of music, with emphasis on the fun! With the help of their friends Cadence the Drummer and Fret the Guitar, children will love learning about beat, rhythm, tempo, melody and so much more.”

This video series (with lesson plan guides included) is a resource that we feel will be useful for reinforcing concepts which you have introduced to your students. Intended for introducing/practicing elements such as steady beat, rhythm, and high/low, lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, suggested lessons, and assessments, making this accessible for you and your students. This would also be a helpful resource if you have a substitute teacher who is a musician as well.

The following are included in this all-in-one format:

– Full color digital lessons with embedded video episodes for instant viewing
– Projectable and reproducible song charts with lyrics and embedded audio
– Activity visuals to reinforce music concepts
– Quality lesson plans

All of the projectable content is included via digital access and viewed in your browser, so there is no need for special software. Just download the files onto your computer and you’re ready to go! Performance and accompaniment audio recordings are also available in a separate folder via download for performance options.

Songs include: The Beat Is the Heart of Music; I’ve Got Rhythm, How ‘Bout You? Take a Rest; We’re Gonna Sing High, Low and in the Middle; Presto Is Fast, Largo Is Slow; Lines and Spaces Baby! Suggested for grades 1-3.

For more information about this and other classroom recommendations, visit us at stantons.com, call us at 1.800.42.MUSIC ext.1, or email us at choral@stantons.com. We look forward to working with you!

About the Authors:
Alissa Ruth began working at Stanton’s in the summer of 2016. She is a former middle and high school choir director and holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from Capital University. She is an active choral singer in the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, as well as various choirs in the Columbus area, and she spends her free time running, doing yoga, cooking, and watching Netflix.

Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.


All Together, SING! 14 July, 2017

recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral Music Specialist

cfn-blb012-fAll Together, SING! by Lon Beery
A new skill building resource developed by Lon Beery, “All Together, Sing!” is invaluable to choral teachers working with changing voices. It provides multiple opportunities to both match pitch and develop the singing independence required for maintaining multiple parts. Grouped by age from younger to older, partner songs in various keys accommodate fluctuating vocal ranges. Voice testing models and other helpful teaching strategies are also included.

Find more choral resources on our website, or contact us for more information – and remember, shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Author:
Jen Sper has been with Stanton’s since 2006. A former middle school and high school choral director, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, she also enjoys good food, running (to counteract the good food…) and the Muppets.


Energize Your Students with CAROLYN MILLER 12 July, 2017

cmillerStanton’s Sheet Music presents a
WILLIS MUSIC PIANO TEACHER WORKSHOP
featuring Carolyn Miller

Friday August 11, 2017
9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Stanton’s Sheet Music
James E. Strouse Workshop Hall
330 S Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
FREE!

Motivating students to practice can be exhausting! The solution is easy: give them exciting, inspiring pieces! Students will come in to every lesson with more enthusiasm than ever. Join our expert clinician Carolyn Miller for an entertaining session packed with captivating music and valuable teaching tips.

Please RSVP for this free session by Thursday August 10 by phone (1.800.426.8742) or email (keyboard@stantons.com). We look forward to seeing you at this valuable session featuring complimentary refreshments and special day-of discounts for attendees!


First Lessons in Piano Improv 11 July, 2017

00159521_CoverWhether the goal is to be a classical or a jazz performer, improvisation provides an avenue to engage more deeply in learning the rules and patterns of music. Good improvisers become native speakers of musical language and not just readers of notes, and that idea is what provided the inspiration for “First Lessons in Piano Improv” by classical and jazz pianist Jeremy Siskind. Aimed toward the classically-trained late elementary/early intermediate pianist (and their teacher), this clearly-written guide takes pianists through fun, easy exercises, providing helpful tips and guidelines along the way. Siskind writes: “We are often told that improvisation simply means making stuff up. While that is technically true, it is important to note that some improvisations are better than others. A good improvisation, like any good piece of music, should be rhythmic, cohesive, logical, and feel complete. The book demonstrates how to learn the rules of music through improvisation so that when you improvise, you are making up good stuff.”  For more information about this book and others like it, call us at 1.800.42.MUSIC, email us at keyboard@stantons.com, or visit our website at www.stantons.com.


NEXT MONTH: Sacred Choral Reading Session 10 July, 2017

Stanton’s is pleased to welcome back Mary McDonald as our clinician for the August Church Choral Music reading session, and we invite you to join us at Overbrook Presbyterian Church (4131 N. High Street, Columbus OH 43214) on Saturday August 12, 2017.

Mary McDonald is well-known in sacred music. With a career that spans over thirty-five years, her songs appear in the catalogs of every major publisher of church music. More than eight hundred anthems, seasonal musicals and keyboard collections testify to her significant contribution to sacred literature.

homepageimageIn 2000, Mary became the first ever woman President of the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference. In addition she has served as accompanist for the Tennessee Men’s Chorale since 1985. Her greatest desire is “to give God glory for the songs He has allowed me to compose. He alone, is the true Creator behind my pen.”

In 2011, after serving as sacred music editor for The Lorenz Corporation in Dayton, Ohio for more than twenty years, Mary answered a new call. Now she takes her tremendous passion and love for music making directly to churches as an independent artist. She is in constant demand in churches across the nation for composer weekends and conferences.

Your registration for the clinic includes a packet of over 35 new choral anthems that are hand-picked from the hundreds published each year. We look forward to seeing you on August 12th for a wonderful morning of singing with one of the nation’s most sought after church music experts.

Sacred Choral Reading Session
Saturday 8/12/2017, 9:00 am-12:30 pm
Overbrook Presbyterian Church
4131 N. High Street, Columbus OH 43214
Cost: $25.00 (There is no pre-registration; you may register the day of the clinic beginning at 8:30)
email our choral department for more details

Sacred Piano Reading Session
also featuring Mary McDonald
Saturday 8/12/2017, 2:00 pm-4:30 pm
Stanton’s Sheet Music
330 S. Fourth Street, Columbus OH 43215
Cost: Free!
email our keyboard department for more details

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!


Summer Jazz Piano Fun! 07 July, 2017

recommended by Ben Huntoon, Jazz Specialist

Summer is the perfect time for piano teachers to try something different. Introduce your students to creative music making with these popular books by Bradley Sowash, a renowned piano educator specializing in improvisation who just happens to live Ohio.

kjos-494295Creative Chords is a unique two-book series designed to teach beginning students who have mastered basic keyboard skills how to improvise! Each book comes with unique code to access videos and backing tracks in which the author demonstrates how to play well-known melodies by ear, improvise embellishments and variations, add chords and accompaniment styles, and create full-sounding arrangements based on their own tastes and preferences. Teachers, even those with a limited background in improvisation, will agree this is a must-have for balancing the ear and the eye for playing today’s music!

That’s Jazz, a nine-book series, is the perfect avenue for motivating late elementary & intermediate level students, while opening them up to the vital musical tradition and artistic expression of jazz. Whether teachers have limited jazz training or none at all, they can still feel confident leading students through their first experiences with jazz!

About the Author:
Ben Huntoon is the Jazz Education Consultant at Stanton’s Sheet Music. He received bachelors and masters degrees in music from Capital University and The Ohio State University respectively. As a professional trumpeter, Ben is accomplished in a wide variety of genres and has performed throughout the Midwest on many stages over the past 30 years. He also teaches trumpet, coaches brass ensembles and has served on the jazz faculty at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio.


Get Ready for STANTON’S SUPER SESSION! 05 July, 2017

ss logoStanton’s Super Session
Saturday 8/5/2017, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Columbia Heights United Methodist Church, 775 Galloway Road 43119
REGISTRATION: $55.00 (includes lunch)

Do you need to put a little “spark” in your choral program? Is there just too much new music out there for you to review? Join us for a fun, enriching day of music education with Andy Beck, Greg Gilpin, and Stanton’s own Jen Sper featuring music from Alfred Publications, Shawnee Press, Choristers Guild, Heritage Music Press, and other choral publishers. Nowhere else will you find such a variety of new choral selections and teaching resources to inspire and motivate you and your students as you begin the school year.

Visit our previous post for information on how to choose the Stanton’s session that is best for you. 

Registration opens on April 1st! Call us at 1.800.42.MUSIC for more information. Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!


TRUE Stanton’s Stories 03 July, 2017

respectfully compiled by Dan C.

Here are some fun stories that stray from the “day-to-day” routine here at Stanton’s. And they all really happened!

Stanton’s has a good customer in Japan who likes to practice their English when communicating with us. We got an email from them in October, during the wild presidential campaign cacophony here in the U.S. It read, “Tokyo has become the Fall. American presidential election is also fuss Japanese television.” Fuss, indeed!

In the You can tell they’re not from Ohio department…we got a call from the music secretary at a college in Indiana. “Our band director needs music for marching band. It’s called Hang on Sloppy arranged by John Tat…Tat…Tat-something.” Of course, we Columbus Ohio folk all knew she was talking about Hang on Sloopy by John Tatgenhorst. But, really – Sloppy?

We have had other non-musical secretaries call to order other things that made us smile – Percy Grainger’s Immovable Doo (I can’t get my wig off!) and Leroy Anderson’s Buggler’s Holiday (be careful when you take a breath!). Of course, an auto parts store probably has some good stories about what non-mechanics ask for when they call too!

It’s great when musicians want to get together and play – that’s largely what music is all about – playing or singing in groups! However, sometimes it’s just tough to find literature for certain instrumental combinations. We got an email from a hopeful customer that stumped us a bit. It went, “Hi I play obie (sic) I have a friend who plays hammered dulcimer. Any suggestions for a duet at a medium difficult level?” We figured any treble clef duet might work, but not surprisingly we found nothing for that specific coupling.

Modern technology strikes again! We had a band director who called to order music and then told us, “I took a picture of my Purchase Order with my phone so I could give you the PO number, but I didn’t realize that I didn’t get the corner of the PO where the number is in the picture. I’ll have to call you back with the PO number!”

For a mental picture, do you remember Pat, the androgynous character on “Saturday Night Live” with the nasally voice? We had a phone customer with that same voice call and say, “I need the thing…that you blow into…that makes a note…” After a few clarifying questions and a smile, the sales person finally determined that they needed a pitch pipe!

A young voice told us over the phone that she had just heard the most beautiful piece on YouTube. It was an orchestra with a boy’s choir singing the words to the Lord’s Prayer. She said we should Google it to give it a listen. The Stanton’s salesperson said she would do some research and get back to the customer. The salesperson determined it must be a custom choral arrangement of the well-known Malotte’s The Lord’s Prayer that was not available for sale. She called the customer back with the bad news, who replied, “Oh, I don’t need orchestra or choir parts. I just love the melody and would like to sing it myself. But gosh, how did you know it was written by somebody named Malotte?” You gotta love youthful inexperience and exuberance! We got her what she needed!