News & Views Thursday, May 17, 2012

The summer concert season is almost upon us, and in addition to pop and Broadway arrangements, patriotic selections, and standard marches, what would a concert in the park be without a fun novelty piece? Stanton’s is pleased to recommend the following new novelty numbers that are sure to entertain both your audience and your band!

Add a little spice to your program with the snappy, 1910 Chili Sauce Rag written by H.A. Fischler of the famous Repasz Band.  It was discovered by Dr. Nicholas Contorno through his association with Windjammers Unlimited, the Circus Music Historical Society.

One of the most famous band novelty pieces ever written, Henry Fillmore’s playful Lassus Trombone is now presented in a meticulously edited, definitive version as an Authentic Fillmore Edition.  This one is sure to be fun for your trombonists and audience alike!

Henry Mancini’s movie music is an American staple.  Feature your entire clarinet section, just a few players, or your best soloist with this gem that underscored the climactic pie fight scene in The Great Race, Pie in the Face Polka – pies not included.

Lastly, your trombones will alternate between playing melodic material and providing humorous fills, taking full advantage of the glissando (of course), in Chris Sharp’s rip-roarin’ arrangement of the famous Tiger Rag!

Keep your eyes on your mailbox and our blog for more new recommendations for your community band!

Hey Band Directors: Before it’s too late, you may want to check to make sure your arrangement of Pomp and Circumstance is complete – you know how parts often don’t come back after your students play it for graduation ceremonies.  If you need a new set, let us know and we will send it your way so you will be ready for graduation without a last minute panic.

The most popular version is Fanfare and Processional arranged by James Ployhar, but there are others to choose from.  Contact our band department if you need one!

Summer is just around the corner, and along with family vacations, cookouts, and a more relaxed pace comes the summer concert season. Stanton’s Sheet Music is excited to have a wide variety of NEW suggestions for community bands beginning with pops arrangements that will add that touch of familiarity to your program!

Crooner’s Serenade – A medley of pops standards as performed by singing sensation Michael Buble: Moondance, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, and Save the Last Dance for Me.

Haven’t Met You Yet – Soaring lines and lush brass scoring highlight this original hit from Crazy Love, Michael Buble’s fourth album.

Indiana – A classic, big band-style arrangement of this standard, a la the Glenn Miller Band, that is perfect for your summer concerts.

A Man and His Soul – Pay tribute to legendary musician Ray Charles with this medley featuring the up-tempo classic What’d I Say, the beautiful and lush Ruby, and the gospel infused I Got a Woman.

Sinatra – With his charismatic style and polished interpretations, Frank Sinatra put his unique stamp on a number of familiar standards.  Stephen Bulla’s swinging medley features several of his best-known hits: Come Fly with Me, Witchcraft, That’s Life, and Fly Me to the Moon.

Stardust – Feature a guest artist or your best alto sax or trumpet soloist on this beautiful Hoagy Carmichael ballad.

Stevie Wonder in Concert – The music of Stevie Wonder is timeless and has cross-generational appeal.  Four of his biggest hits are highlighted in this medley: Sir Duke, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, I Wish, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

Volare – Recorded by many top artists, Dean Martin’s version probably being the best-known, this unexpected arrangement is a nice change-of-pace perfect for a summer concert.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone, 1-800-426-8742.  Keep an eye on your mailbox, email, and our blog for more community band recommendations including NEW novelty numbers, patriotic pieces, marches, movie and Broadway arrangements, and concert works!

Just in time for your spring concert, Stanton’s is pleased to present these new arrangements by two of today’s biggest pop artists, Adele and Lady Gaga…

Lady Gaga Fugue (based on Bad Romance)
In a recent YouTube moment that went viral, Giovanni Dettori created a convincingly traditional Baroque fugue based on the opening strains of Lady Gaga’s hit Bad Romance. Johnnie Vinson has done a marvelous job of adapting this setting for concert band, providing a terrific opportunity to teach an important musical form and have some fun at the same time.

Rolling in the Deep
One of the Top 40 hits for pop artist Adele, this bluesy, gospel-style tune will be popular with your students and enjoyed by your audience.

Visit the Top Pops tab on the concert band page at Stantons.com for more new pop arrangements and spring concert ideas.

Do you ever need sheet music in a big hurry?  Check out Stanton’s Digital Delivery to browse our digital sheet music library. There are pop songs, Broadway songs, sacred songs, guitar tabs, and much more!

You’ll need to download a free Scorch program that allows you to see the first page of each song you look up, and it allows you to print on your own printer.  Many songs can also be transposed to whatever key you need! Just pay with a credit card, download and print.

This service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Happy browsing!

Copyright law and its implications affect musicians and educators every day, yet most of us have little to no understanding of it.  Whether majoring in performance or education, undergraduate courses of study rarely present an introduction to the subject, let alone offer any courses that study it in detail.  It is challenging to know what is permissible under the law, and what exactly is allowed under the doctrine of ‘fair use.’  Violations of copyright occur frequently in our schools mostly due to the lack of education on the subject, and, like it or not, use in an educational setting alone does not necessarily constitute compliance with the ‘fair use’ provision of the law.  With increased scrutiny and debate over copyright infringement on the internet, the staff at Stanton’s would like to recommend the following resources to shed light on the subject for musicians and educators alike.  They are presented in order of increasing detail, and we highly recommend The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law for music educators.  In addition, YouTube in Music Education is a great resource for those looking to use this technology to enhance their programs, but have concerns about how to do so appropriately.

Music Copyright Basics – Joel Leach
What is copyright?  This seemingly simple question often causes confusion with its complex answers.  In Music Copyright Basics, professor and expert copyright witness Joel Leach answers frequent questions in a straightforward, easy-to-use format.  Whether you are searching for a simple answer to a common question or want a general knowledge of the copyright procedure, this book will quickly provide you with the information you want.  Music Copyright Basics features: a convenient question-and-answer format; easy-to-understand answers to all your copyright questions; coverage of copyright basics, copyright submission process, copyright ownership, copyright and earnings potential, and international copyright; and a compact, portable design that keeps information easily at hand. (2003)

The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law – James Frankel
The easy-to-understand guide for teachers using copyrighted music and media in the classroom.  In this era of unprecedented access to information, teachers have a wealth of readily available resources for lesson planning, but determining what you can and can’t use legally in the classroom is a difficult task.  Written by a 15-year veteran of the New Jerseypublic schools, The Teacher’s Guide to Music, Media, and Copyright Law helps explain just how information, images, video, and music can be incorporated into any kind of lesson plan without running afoul of copyright laws.  This resource includes: what resources you can use without obtaining permission, how to obtain and license the works you need permission to use, how to check the copyright status of any media item, and how to apply copyright legality examples to real classroom situations. (2009)

Music Copyright Law – Moser & Slay
Music Copyright Law will help you gain an in-depth understanding of a topic that is vital to the success of anyone in or entering the music industry.  From songwriters and performers to managers, producers, and agents, everyone is affected by the issues covered in this book.  Avoiding the technical jargon and “legalese” that bogs down other books on the subject, this book explores the world of copyright law and homes in on how it applies to music.  It begins by building a foundational knowledge of the fundamentals of copyright law – what it protects, the benefits of registering a copyright, and what to do when copyright has been infringed.  Once the fundamentals are established, coverage expands to include controversies involving copyright and music in the digital age and the debates over online music.  Packed with practical examples that bring complex concepts to life, this book is a must-have for any professional in or entering the music business. (2012)

Do you have a significant other that makes you smile with your heart?  Their looks may be laughable (and even unphotographable) yet they’re your favorite work of art?  Then you could call them “My Funny Valentine.”

With lyrics close to those written above, the well known song, “My Funny Valentine,” has become a staple for the day set aside to honor your favorite loved one.  Written in 1937 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for their musical, Babes in Arms, it is sung in the show by the female lead, Billie Smith, to her love interest, Valentine “Val” LaMar.  She pokes gentle fun at some of his characteristics, but ultimately tells him not to change, because they are what gives him his charm.  Just about everyone can relate to that set of circumstances.  After all, love reigns supreme – especially on Valentine’s Day!

If you would like to perform this wonderful song, there are many settings from which to choose. There are versions for vocal solo with piano, as well as arrangements for choir, jazz ensemble (with or without vocal solo), jazz combo, concert band and full or string orchestra.  You can find these all on Stanton’s website, or try our Digital Delivery option if there’s no time to lose!

The 2012 OMEA Professional Conference is just around the corner.  In addition to being a great way to recharge during this long period of the school year and the camaraderie of being around friends and colleagues, it is also a great place to discover new music, learn new teaching techniques, and discover new tools to enhance teaching and learning in your classroom.  The instrumental staff at Stanton’s is pleased to highlight some of the items being featured at this year’s conference. 

Composer and co-author of the Sound Innovations band method, Robert Sheldon will be presenting sessions including Fix It Now: Techniques for Creating Immediate and Significant Improvement in Your Rehearsal, Writing Music for Winds and Percussion, and Preparing Your Ensemble for Expressive Performance.

Composer and co-author of the Tradition of Excellence band method, Ryan Nowlin will highlight approaches for starting beginners, lesson planning, and using the technology and enrichment features of the T.O.E. book during his session, Teaching Band with Excellence: Achieving the Most in Every Lesson.

Conducting takes center stage in Practical Score Preparation Strategies for the Harried Instrumental Conductor by Gary Stith (author of Score Rehearsal Preparation), and Be the Music: Non-Verbal Gestures, Pedagogical and Musical Thoughts and Ideas for the Conductor by Stephen Gage combining the pedagogical approaches of Laban, Green, and Lisk (Conductor, Teacher, Leader; The Musical Mind of the Creative Director).

There are many technology-related sessions featuring Finale notation software including Finale Top Ten; Using Finale and SmartMusic Together to Easily Maximize Your Results; Finale and SmartMusic in Action with HS Band Students; and Using Finale in Music Education, and the sessions/discussions with Sousa historian/Fillmore biographer and Columbus resident Paul Bierley (Hallelujah Trombone), Sam Pilafian (Breathing Gym Live for Band, Orchestra, and Chorus), and Tom Batiuk, cartoonist/creator of Funky Winkerbean, are sure to be both entertaining and informative.

For more information about the sessions, visit the searchable schedule on the OMEA website, and visit Stantons.com, Stanton’s OMEA booth, or stop by the store while you’re in Columbus to purchase any of the titles listed above.  We look forward to seeing you February 16-18!

We’re always talking about our knowledgeable staff—you’ll find that very phrase on much of our printed advertising, as well as on our website. Stanton’s sales staff is separated into departments to ensure that each staff member is well informed about a specific area of the wide variety of music that we carry. So when you call and ask about music for trumpet, you’ll be speaking with someone who has first-hand knowledge of repertoire, not just a phone operator with no musical experience. Here’s what you’ll find in each department:

CHORAL DEPARTMENT (ex. 1)
Church Choral Music
School Choral Music
Elementary Classroom Music
Classical Solo Vocal
Handbell

BAND DEPARTMENT (ex. 2)
Concert Band
Marching Band
Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra
Solos for all concert instruments
Instrumental Method Books
Music Software/Technology

POP/KEYBOARD (ex. 3)
Sacred & Secular Piano
Organ
Piano Method Books
Popular/Broadway Solo Vocal
Contemporary Christian Vocal
Guitar Solos and Methods
Music for Folk Instruments

BILLING AND ACCOUNTS (ex. 4)

You can direct emails to the exact department you need by clicking the links above, or press the appropriate extension when you call 1-800-42-MUSIC (1-800-426-8742). If you’re unsure of which department to choose, we’re always happy to direct you to whoever can best address your needs; press “0″ to have your call directed, or send a general email. At Stanton’s, it is important to us that you receive the most educated answers to your questions and the finest music recommendations.

Marches are a staple of concert band repertoire, and as such remain a standard part of school band curricula and community band performance.  The Stanton’s band staff is pleased to recommend the following new marches for your next concert or adjudicated performance program.

The choices for advanced level groups are dominated this year by Karl King, however, be sure not to overlook the arrangement of John Philip Sousa’s The Lambs’ March, and Larry Clark’s Refining the March Style will be an invaluable tool for developing and improving your band’s understanding and performance of any march.  We highly recommend this item regardless of whether you teach middle or high school, or direct a community band.

All of these arrangements are available from Stantons.com, or give us a call (1-800-426-8742).  We hope that you find these suggestions helpful.  If you intend to use any of these titles for adjudication, don’t forget to order your judges’ scores – ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print). Thanks for reading, and keep following the Stanton’s blog for more concert band recommendations.

Refining the March Style – Larry Clark – Grade 2
Improve your band’s march performance and concept with these 10 exercises/lessons designed to develop and reinforce characteristic march-style elements including specific patterns, phrases, rhythms, and articulations within familiar, stylistically harmonized scale patterns.

Fidelity March – Karl L. King/arr. Andrew Glover – Grade 2.5
One of Karl King’s easier marches, this excellent arrangement is a great way to introduce your advancing band to his music. All of the standard style and formal elements are here plus dotted rhythms and a slight ragtime type syncopation in the A section melody. Great as a contest selection, and solid prep. for the transition to high school music.

Aces of the Air – Karl L. King/arr. James Swearingen – Grade 3
Karl King had a true gift for crafting flawless marches for bands of all levels. This splendid, straight-ahead march is solid, clean & uncluttered, with just the right amount of technical decoration, and marvelous low brass countermelodies that just make it sing.

Georgia Girl – Karl L. King/arr. Gene Milford – Grade 3
You say you’re looking for something different? How about Karl King with a touch of ragtime? Exemplifying his ability to write whatever his circus band needed, King captured the ragtime craze with relish in this vivacious “rag-march.” A truly distinctive gem from the vault of a musical king.

The Lambs’ March – John Philip Sousa/arr. Loras John Schissel – Grade 3
Lead the way to discovering the “unknown Sousa” with this sprightly, effervescent march that absolutely sparkles with creative nuances. It’s pure Sousa, with a few charming surprises around every phrase: catchy syncopations, delicate glissandi, witty echoes, and infectious melodies they’ll be whistling all the way home!

The Victor March – Karl L. King/arr. Gene Milford – Grade 3
As clean, crisp, and perfect as a march can be! Every instrumental line in this highly playable, flawless Karl King specimen is masterfully crafted to exemplify the classic American march. Lovely, singable melodies, ear-catching countermelodies, and an overall sparkle combine in a genuine joy for players and listeners alike.

The Viking – Karl L. King/arr. Andrew Glover – Grade 4
Count on Karl King to define the timelessness of a great march–this magnificent specimen is 100 years old! Composed in 1911 when King was playing in his first circus band at the tender age of 20, it rose to prominence almost immediately whenIndiana Universityborrowed its heroic, singable trio for their school fight song. Incomparable King at his best.

Marches are a staple of concert band repertoire, and as such remain a standard part of school band curricula and community band performance.  The Stanton’s band staff is pleased to recommend the following new marches for your next concert or adjudicated performance program.

We are pleased to feature two original marches for beginning and young bands alongside new arrangements of Harold Bennett and Karl King titles.  In addition, Larry Clark’s Refining the March Style will be an invaluable tool for developing and improving your band’s understanding and performance of any march.  We highly recommend this item regardless of whether you teach middle or high school, or direct a community band.

All of these arrangements are available from Stantons.com, or give us a call (1-800-426-8742).  We hope that you find these suggestions helpful.  If you intend to use any of these titles for adjudication, don’t forget to order your judges’ scores – ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print). Thanks for reading, and keep following the Stanton’s blog for more concert band recommendations.

March of the Champions – Timothy Loest – Grade 0.5
Courage, character, and the indomitable human spirit are conveyed using only six notes. Solid percussion writing (including a tam-tam) really adds color, and the triumphant style works as a beginning concert opener, or even a processional.

Pinnacle of Distinction – Larry Clark – Grade 1.5
Quality, traditional marches are not the providence of upper level bands alone. Larry Clark has written an exciting original march loaded with teaching opportunities that could be right out of the turn-of-the-last-century. A strong melody, counter lines in the low brass, bells, 8th note based rhythms, trio section, dynamic contrast, call and response, a fantastic “shout” section, a “stinger” – it’s ALL here!

Precision – Harold Bennett/arr. Larry Clark – Grade 2
Larry Clark’s arrangements of Harold Bennett marches have become educational and performance staples. Precision is no exception. Its stop-time style initial melody, call and response figures, mix of legato and staccato articulations, and break-strain make this a perfect teaching piece. Your horns, baritones, and saxes will love the counter line in the “shout” section, and your audience will enjoy its “fight-song” type sound.

Refining the March Style – Larry Clark – Grade 2
Improve your band’s march performance and concept with these 10 exercises/lessons designed to develop and reinforce characteristic march-style elements including specific patterns, phrases, rhythms, and articulations within familiar, stylistically harmonized scale patterns.

Fidelity March – Karl L. King/arr. Andrew Glover – Grade 2.5
One of Karl King’s easier marches, this excellent arrangement is a great way to introduce your advancing band to his music. All of the standard style and formal elements are here plus dotted rhythms and a slight ragtime type syncopation in the A section melody. Great as a contest selection, and solid prep. for the transition to high school music.

Aces of the Air – Karl L. King/arr. James Swearingen – Grade 3
Karl King had a true gift for crafting flawless marches for bands of all levels. This splendid, straight-ahead march is solid, clean & uncluttered, with just the right amount of technical decoration, and marvelous low brass countermelodies that just make it sing.

We’re now halfway (!) through January and here in Ohio, thoughts are turning to OMEA Adjudicated Events! Solo & Ensemble events begin January 28th, and High School Large Group events are in March, followed by Junior High events later in the spring. While many of you have been planning since August, our biggest sales for contest music are in January.

Stanton’s strongly suggests that when you order your music for Adjudicated Events, you order the copies or scores for your judges at the same time. Solo & Ensemble events have one adjudicator, and Large Group events have three – each adjudicator needs their own copy of each score. Please do not wait until the week of (or the DAY of) your event to order – every year we get many panicked calls from directors at the last minute! If we don’t have the piece you need in stock it may take as long as two weeks to order it in, and if it is Permanently Out-of-Print, receiving photocopy permission may take even longer.

Still searching for the perfect contest piece? Our website is up-to-date with this year’s Large Group required lists for high school choir, concert band, and orchestra, junior high choir, concert band, and orchestra, and Solo & Ensemble lists for high school instumental and vocal ensembles

Adjudicated Events can be an exciting and rewarding time for you and your students. Let Stanton’s help you by placing your orders early!

Our final preview of the new required pieces on the OMEA junior high/middle school concert band lists features the new Class C titles.  You can view and listen to the complete OMEA required concert band lists by clicking on the OMEA Required Music Lists option on our concert band webpage, and selecting the list you wish to view.  We hope you find this preview to be useful, and look forward to helping you plan a successful contest program.

New OMEA Junior High Class C Required Selections

Above and Beyond – James Swearingen
All of the sound educational and musical characteristics that make James Swearingen’s music popular with students and teachers alike are present in this triumphant fanfare. A strong melody, solid rhythmic pulse and patterns, and uplifting sound combine to make this work a great teaching piece that is a perfect concert opener or festival selection.

Air Force One – Chris Bernotas
The U.S. Presidential aircraft represents freedom and evokes a sense of pride wherever it travels. The sense of flight is ever-present in this rhythmic, overture-style work for young bands. Contrasting 8th note patterns with soaring, lyrical lines, call and response between the low winds and percussion, and never-ending forward motion Chris Bernotas creates an exciting work that is perfect to open your concert or festival performance.

Ovation – Michael Story
Aptly titled, Ovation is a celebratory overture for very young bands.  Its stately theme provides bookends to a lyrical B-section during which the tempo is maintained.  This work is perfect for working articulation, basic quarter and 8^th note patterns (including dotted quarter-8^th), accidentals, and some rhythmic independence – the melodic line passes through sections of the band in the B section.  A positive selection for concert programming.

Racing the Sun – Roland Barrett
The inspiration for this piece comes from a phrase used by solar-powered car enthusiasts to describe the act of piloting their exotic vehicles. Employing a variety of styles and textures, this original work will capture the imagination of your students.

Siege of the Dark Castle – Travis J. Weller
The chance for a lesson on early western music and medieval history is presented with this excellent work by Travis J. Weller. Characteristic 8th note rhythms, minor tonality, and even a 3-voice fugue create plenty of learning opportunities, and the period style and sound make for a nice programming alternative in this musical depiction of medieval battle.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone (1-800-426-8742).  Don’t forget to order your judges’ scores – ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print).  Keep following the Stanton’s blog for more concert band recommendations from our band staff.

Our next preview of the new required pieces on the OMEA junior high/middle school concert band lists features the new Class B titles.  You can view and listen to the complete OMEA required concert band lists by clicking on the OMEA Required Music Lists option on our concert band webpage, and selecting the list you wish to view.  We hope you find this preview to be useful, and look forward to helping you plan a successful contest program.

New OMEA Junior High Class B Required Selections

Accolade – William Himes
Splendid textures, rhythmic counterpoint and touching melodies combine in this exciting but accessible new work by William Himes. A wide range of musical styles and colors make it a great choice for festival or a strong centerpiece for the concert program. You will enjoy this rich and varied work for young bands.

Dance of the Spirits – Michael Sweeney
The Native American Cree tribe refers to the aurora borealis (or northern lights) as the dance of the spirits. Using a variety of unusual sounds and effects, quickly changing textures and surprises, Michael Sweeney has created a musical impression of this phenomenon’s stunning beauty and unpredictable nature. An exciting and unique addition to the young band repertoire, this will be enjoyable to rehearse and perform.

Fanfare and Triumph – James Swearingen
True to its title, Fanfare and Triumph is an energetic concert opener in A-B-A form with a majestic introduction.  Perfect for developing bands, this work provides opportunities to address dynamics, contrasting accented and lyrical styles, articulation markings, moving from 4/4 to 3/4, and back to 4/4, as well as standard 8^th note and 16^th note rhythmic groupings, and plenty of mallet and auxiliary percussion will keep your percussionists busy.  Ideal as a concert opener or festival selection. 

La Madre de los Gatos – Brian Beck
As its Spanish title implies, La Madre de los Gatos will add some fiery Spanish flair to your next concert or contest performance.  Characteristic style and rhythms abound thanks to harmonic accidentals, 8^th and 16^th note rhythmic patterns, punchy bass rhythms, plenty of Latin percussion, and duple syncopations against the triple meter.  Brian Beck presents plenty of opportunity to develop your band’s rhythmic concept and articulation precision with this fun to play piece! 

Selections from Leroy Anderson’s Irish Suite – Leroy Anderson/arr. Douglas Wagner
Introduce your developing band to the joy of many of the recognizable themes from Leroy Anderson’s six movement standard for wind band. Although in medley form and made accessible to young bands, the style and character of the original melodies and settings remains. Douglas Wagner’s arrangement provides a perfect opportunity to introduce students to the skills necessary to play more advanced music: key changes; time signature changes; changes in style, phrasing and articulation, etc.

Mountain Country Dances – Johnnie Vinson
Inspired by the musical tradition of early American folk songs, Johnnie Vinson has composed this appealing suite of three contrasting dance styles. The movements include Tar Heel Two-Step, Woodland Waltz, and Blue Ridge Reel. Sure to be an entertaining and rewarding work for young bands.

Sketches on a Kentucky Hymn Tune – Todd Stalter
Chosen for its artful simplicity and interesting harmonies, the hymn Salvation provides the basis for the various settings that make up this work.  Beginning with simple statements of the tune in call and response form between the brass and woodwind ‘choirs’ within the band, the theme is then set in varying keys and tempi.  Rhythmic variety, contrasting articulations, and call and response figures are present throughout, and this work is a great introduction to theme and variations compositional form.                     

Voltage –David Shaffer
Voltage is the total energy required to move an electrical charge between two points. Scored to showcase both the winds and percussion, David Shaffer captures this energy with striking dynamics, accessible syncopation, and forward rhythmic motion.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone (1-800-426-8742).  Don’t forget to order your judges’ scores – ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print).  Keep following the Stanton’s blog for our remaining concert band previews.

The concert band world lost an icon over this past weekend. William Francis McBeth (March 9, 1933 – January 6, 2012) was a prolific American composer, whose wind band works are highly respected. Among the most popular of his nearly 60 band works were Chant and Jubilo, Of Sailors and Whales, Through Countless Halls of Air, Masque, Kaddish, Canto and Caccia.  The popularity of his works in the United States during the last half of the twentieth century led to many invitations and appearances as a guest conductor, where he often conducted the premiere performances of some of his compositions, the majority of which were commissioned. His conducting activities have taken him to forty-eight states, three Canadian provinces, Japan, and Australia.

From 1957 until his retirement in 1996, McBeth taught at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.  He had an early start to his musical training, studying piano with his mother and taking up the trumpet in the second grade. He attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. While an undergraduate at H-SU, McBeth played in the university band. From December 1952 to January 1953, the band traveled with U.S. Camp Shows to Europe. He also played string bass in a jazz combo, which was unusual for the time period due to widespread segregation throughout the South.   He was initiated into the University of Texas Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in 1957.  In 1962, McBeth conducted the Arkansas All-State Band, with future president Bill Clinton playing in the tenor saxophone section. He served as the third conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra from 1970 until 1973. He died aged 78 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

McBeth’s most outstanding awards have been the Presley Award at Hardin-Simmons University, the Howard Hanson Prize at the Eastman School of Music for his Third Symphony in 1963, recipient of an ASCAP Special Award each consecutive year from 1965 to present, the American School Band Directors Association’s Edwin Franko Goldman Award in 1983, elected Fellow of the American Wind and Percussion Artists by the National Band Association in 1984, National Citation from Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity in 1985, in 1988 Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia’s Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award for his achievement and continued contribution to American music, Kappa Kappa Psi’s National Service to Music Award in 1989, Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic’s Medal of Honor in 1993 and Past President of the American Bandmasters Association. In 1975 McBeth was appointed Composer Laureate of the State of Arkansas by the Governor, the first Composer Laureate named in the United States.

Our first preview of the new required pieces on the OMEA junior high/middle school concert band lists features the new Class A titles.  You can view and listen to the complete OMEA required concert band lists by clicking on the OMEA Required Music Lists option on our concert band webpage, and selecting the list you wish to view.  We hope you find this preview to be useful, and look forward to helping you plan a successful contest program.

New OMEA Junior High Class A Required Selections

Emblazon – Sean O’Loughlin
This is definitely not your typical concert overture, as evidenced by its tender, soulful beginning, gently introducing themes that recur throughout. The work deftly transitions back and forth between vibrant, energetic scherzos punctuated by powerful percussion, and reflective, emotional lyric stretches that evoke quiet memories. An exceptional experience in variations & contrasts.

First We Dream – Erik Morales
Besides its non-stop energy and endless array of fresh effects, the most impressive aspect of this delightful, boisterous romp is its dazzling use of percussion. Thrilling yet very playable, it swoops and soars through an ever-changing, always refreshing assortment of tone color & rhythmic variations on the wings of charmingly tuneful melodies. Clearly outside the mold of the ordinary – and who doesn’t want happy percussionists?

Grand Old Duke of York – Pierre La Plante
A charming symphonic march based on an 18th century nursery rhyme and folk tune – probably a parody of British nobility. A happy regimental tune marches through several jolly transformations before the duke and his men stride off into the distance. Great fun!

Morris Dance Tunes – Gustav Holst/arr. Douglas Wagner
Introduce your students to the joy of playing Holst with these four spirited dance tunes. Douglas Wagner includes a brief introduction to each that also serves as interludes for this through-composed work.

All of these titles can be ordered via Stantons.com, or by phone (1-800-426-8742).  Don’t forget to order your judges’ scores – ordering now can save you stress come contest time (avoid them being out-of-stock, or worse, temporarily out-of-print).  Keep following the Stanton’s blog for our remaining concert band previews.