News & Views Thursday, April 18, 2024

recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral Music Specialists

What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body (Revised Edition) by Bridget Jankowski
This primer for all musicians provides a reliable base for a lifetime of playing and singing. The principles in these pages are the elemental foundation of music education, and will protect a musician from injury, promote the physical freedom and sensitivity needed for technical mastery, and secure the embodied intelligence that grounds musical power and subtlety. Musicians teaching from these principles will see their students thrive. Students studying and restudying these pages will delight in their enhanced performance. This book also serves as the text of a six-hour course on Body Mapping for musicians developed by Barbara Conable.

What’s New in the Revised Edition? Created with the input of experienced Licensed Body Mapping Educators, and led by Body Mapping expert Bridget Jankowski, this revision includes:
• Updated and enlarged images – big enough for coloring.
• Streamlined and clarified content based on new science.
• An updated format that follows the associated Body Mapping course more closely.
• Additional room for notes at the end of each section.

Knowledge from the scientific community continues to inform the work of the Association for Body Mapping Education. The book’s associated Body Mapping course of the same name has evolved over the past two decades, and an updated text for the course will be a valuable resource for novice and seasoned Body Mapping Educators alike.

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About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral & Classroom Music Specialists

Recorder Readiness: Creative Tools for Building Music Literacy by Danielle Bayert
Kickoff, supplement, or reinforce your existing classroom recorder method with these engaging games, worksheets, and activities that invite customized learning. This hands-on toolkit isolates three distinct elements for building music literacy through recorder practice: rhythm, pitch, and technique. Start with each alone, then combine two at a time, and finally fully synthesize all three with ten culminating read-and-play melodies. Danielle’s creative, outside-of-the-box approach is so effective and so fun! Includes templates for several teacher-made manipulatives, puzzles, flashcards, and more. Recommended for grades 2-5.

Learn more in the video below, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

Recital Treasures by Karen S. Wilson
This collection will become a teacher’s “go-to” for recital and festival repertoire at the mid-inter-mediate level. Students (and parents) are excited by the impressive and diverse musical effects they create. “Showtime!” uses damper pedal and parallel chords (both hands) moving up and down the keyboard to create a big sound. “A Winter’s Dream” and “Lullaby for a Ladybug” are lovely ballads featuring lyrical melodies. “Swirling Snowflakes” has showy hand-over-hand arpeggios. “Fiesta!” provides an authentic Spanish flair and “Llama Rumba” lends a Latin rhythm adventure. Three additional “treasures” in 3/4 meter round out the set.

Reflections of Nature by Ross Petot
This collection of intermediate to late-intermediate piano solos has eight stunning solos that are among the composer’s best works to date. They are reflective for the most part, full of expressive melodies and striking, original harmonies. Mr. Petot has effectively created a rich musical scene in each of these solos – musical gestures that reflect the unique character and mood of the title. Throughout the book, Petot’s immense love of nature is evident. Each solo is crafted with care and richly detailed. The style is contemporary Romantic, with hints of Impressionism, as well as ample use of 7th chords, whole-tone scales, and chromaticism. Each solo is fresh and original, evoking a singular musical scene quite vividly and beautifully.

Mysteries and Legends by Ross Petot
This collection has eight solos whose mood and character aptly reflect the title of the collection. The titles are evocative, such as “Gargoyles,” “The Lost Key,” “Sleepy Hollow,” and “Halo.” These titles set the scene for truly imaginative musical story-telling on the part of the composer. Their style is contemporary Romantic, with melodies that meander in delightfully original ways, and with harmonies that take you on journey that is mysterious, and always memorable. Intermediate to late-intermediate pianists of all ages will love discovering their hidden pathways, unexpected twists, and subtle harmonic turns.

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Technic Classics: Piano Exercises Adapted and Composed by Lisa & Lori Bastien
These books are essential supplements to most standard piano methods. They are compilations of original, adapted, and composed technic exercises from the great European pedagogues of the 19th century as well as original works by Lisa Bastien. The series is designed to help students gain the ability to play the piano efficiently and comfortably while producing a beautiful sound. Close attention is give to the progression of concepts and includes the best exercises by Beyer, Czerny, Hanon, Schmitt, Gurlitt, Burgmüller, Türk, Wohlfahrt, and others. Useful Bastien teaching tips are also included.

Technic Classics Primer
Matches method series in which students learn notes from middle-C outward on the grand staff. Gives focus to lifting from the keys led by the wrists as well as shifting arm weight from one finger to the next. Playing melodic intervals and selected harmonic intervals (2nds, 3rds, 5ths) with the building blocks necessary for playing two- and three-note chords. Various note naming exercises are also included. Beautifully illustrated. A total of 26 exercises on 32 pages.

Technic Classics Level 1
This exercise book gives attention to many technic elements appropriate to early elementary piano students beginning with the down-up motion of the wrist in playing two-note slurs. Focus is also given to developing hands-together playing using mirror technics between the hands as well as parallel motion. It also includes preparation for playing 3-note chords including I and V7 chord (two-note) introduction. Up-touch staccato is introduced along with early experiences with playing staccato vs. legato between the hands. G and F positions are utilized. Agility exercises are notated in eighth notes and some early use of the damper pedal is explored. “Technic Challenges” ask students to transpose many of the exercises to other white keys. Has 52 exercises on 32 pages.

Technic Classics Level 2
Exercises by the master 19th century pedagogues appear more frequently throughout this book than the previous levels. Many exercises are included that build the skills needed for hands-together playing, agility development, finger crossing skills (needed to play fulloctave scales), melodic and harmonic 6ths, as well as I chords, inverted IV and V7 chords for cadences. Also included are hand-over-hand exercises and early experiences in voicing some notes louder than others within a series of eighth notes. Includes 58 exercises on 32 pages.

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recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral & Classroom Music Specialists

International Sound Stories: Folk Tales, Fables, and Poems for the Music Classroom by Anna Wentlent
Promote full listening, encourage active participation, and make cultural connections with this useful collection of literature from around the world. 20 folk tales, fables, and poems have been thoughtfully selected from a variety of countries with rich storytelling traditions, including India, Korea, Hawaii, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, Ghana, and more.

Each tale includes specific sound effects, melodic patterns, and rhythmic ostinati for sound exploration on common classroom instruments. You may choose to read and play as written, use them as inspiration for student creation (such as curated playlists or digital compositions), or even employ them as a resource for interdisciplinary work. For convenience, each story is also included as a PDF to project or print. Recommended for Grades 1-6.

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About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral Music Specialists

Yes, You Can! (The Band Director’s Guide to Teaching Choirs) by Derrick Fox
“Yes, You Can! The Band Teacher’s Guide to Teaching Choirs” deals directly with the challenges faced by a teacher transitioning from conducting band to chorus. The handbook pairs pedagogical theory with concrete examples of exercises, techniques, and detailed solutions to common challenges, including dealing with changing voices in a young SATB choir. Fox pulls on his firsthand experience to create a handbook which is essential for the library of any band teacher hoping to teach choirs.

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral and Classroom Music Specialists

Creative Activities for Teaching General Music by Victoria Boler
This helpful resource includes 15 songs with specific classroom lesson plans for 3-4 class lessons. Each lesson has its own video by the author, aimed at the teacher, not the students. You get a total of 47 videos – over six hours of video content. The audio tracks are demonstrations of the songs. It also includes 13 classroom handout PDFs, accessible online through My Library. Perfect for elementary general music classroom teachers and substitute teachers!

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

For 5 FINGER Piano
Disney Latest Movie Hits
Eight easy, playable arrangements of recent Disney movie hit songs arranged in five finger piano notation. Includes: “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” (from Frozen), “Evermore” and “How Does a Moment Last Forever” (from Beauty and the Beast), “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome” (from Moana), “Remember Me (Ernesto de la Cruz),” “Un Poco Loco,” and “The World Es Mi Familia” (from Coco).

Disney Movie Fun
Hal Leonard Five-Finger Piano songbooks are designed for students in their first year of study. They feature single-note melody lines that stay in one position, indicated by a small keyboard diagram at the beginning of each song. Each song also includes lyrics, and beautifully written piano accompaniments that can be played by teachers, parents, or more experienced students. This updated edition features ten Disney favorites that piano students will be eager to play!

Disney Delights
9 Disney favorites: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Circle of Life,” “Colors of the Wind,” “God Help the Outcasts,” “Hakuna Matata,” “If I Never Knew You,” “Mine, Mine, Mine,” “Someday,” and “A Whole New World.”

Disney Today
This songbook features eight Disney favorites arranged for beginning pianists to play as they learn. Songs include: “Almost There,” “Happy Working Song,” “I See the Light,” “I’ve Got a Dream,” “Lava,” “Let It Go,” “True Love’s Kiss,” and “We Belong Together.”

First Disney Favorites
10 simple Disney songs to sing and play! Progresses from early to late elementary. Titles: “The Bare Necessities” (Jungle Book), “Colors of the Wind” (Pocahontas), “He’s a Pirate” (Pirates of the Caribbean), “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (The Lion King), “I See the Light” (Tangled), “Let It Go” (Frozen), “Remember Me” (Coco), “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (Mary Poppins), “Under the Sea” (Little Mermaid), and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” (Toy Story).

For BIG NOTE Piano
Disney Heroes and Sheroes
20 epic songs from classic and contemporary Disney movie favorites arranged for big-note piano with lyrics. Titles include: “Evermore,” “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “I See the Light,” “Into the Open Air,” “It’s All Right,” “Lead the Way,” “Loyal Brave True,” “Remember Me (Ernesto de la Cruz),” “Speechless,” “Wakanda,” “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme),” and more.

Disney Heroines
The Jennifer Linn Series features carefully-leveled collections of either popular music arrangements or original compositions. The pieces or songs in each book are placed in a progressive order so students can learn new skills as they advance through the book. Written for piano students of all ages, the Elementary+ books include melody with harmony for both hands and includes more rhythm choices and a larger range of keys. This level is for the progressing student who has two to three years of experience. This volume includes ten Disney favorites.

Contemporary Disney Solos
This second edition features an updated song list of 10 recent Disney hits.

For EASY Piano
40 Most-Streamed Disney Songs
Beginning pianists will love learning to play the Disney songs they stream most frequently! This impressive 264-page collection features 40 songs in accessible easy piano arrangements with lyrics, including: “Beauty and the Beast,” “Hakuna Matata,” “How Far I’ll Go,” “I See the Light,” “Let It Go,” “Love Is an Open Door,” “Reflection,” “Under the Sea,” “A Whole New World,” “You’ll Be in My Heart,” and more.

40 Disney Songs: Really Easy Piano
This great collection lets even beginning piano students play their favorite Disney songs. It features 40 songs from the entire Disney catalog – from “Cinderella” to “Encanto” – and includes background notes and performance tips for each song.

The Disney Collection
This updated 3rd edition for easy piano features 60 Disney favorites, including new selections from “Tangled,” “Frozen” and much more. Songs include: “The Bare Necessities,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Cruella De Vil,” “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “He’s a Tramp,” “I See the Light,” “I’ve Got No Strings,” “Let It Go,” “Mickey Mouse March,” “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Under the Sea,” “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” and more.

Disney Favorites
The Instant Piano Songs series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily – whether you use one hand or two! Start with the melody in your right hand, then add basic left-hand chords when you’re ready. Letter names inside each note speed up the learning process, and optional rhythm patterns take your playing to the next level. Online backing tracks are also included. Stream or download the tracks using the unique codes inside each book, then play along to build confidence and sound great! This edition includes 30 Disney classics such as: “The Ballad of Davy Crockett,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Circle of Life,” “Friend like Me,” “How Far I’ll Go,” “It’s a Small World,” “Kiss the Girl,” “Let It Go,” “Part of Your World,” “Remember Me (Ernesto de la Cruz),” “That’s How You Know,” “A Whole New World,” and more.

Disney Latest Hits
Young pianists can play the music from their favorite recent Disney films with this collection of songs arranged for easy piano with lyrics. Includes: “Beauty and the Beast,” “How Far I’ll Go” (from Moana), “I See the Light” (from Tangled), “Lava,” “Let It Go” (from Frozen), “Remember Me (Ernesto de la Cruz)” (from Coco), and more.

Sequential Disney Piano Songs
Players of all levels can enjoy their favorite hits with “Sequential Disney Piano Songs!” Starting with the easiest arrangements (hands alone, very simple rhythms), and continuing in order of difficulty (including hands together, syncopated rhythms and moving around the keyboard), players can find songs that fit their particular skill level and play right away. Beginners can use these books to improve their music reading and piano skills from the very first page while playing the pop songs they love. This collection features 24 songs, including: “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Cruella de Vil,” “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Evermore,” “I See the Light,” “Kiss the Girl,” “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme),” “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” and more.

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recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral & Classroom Music Specialists

Bucket Classics! by Tom Anderson
Experience classical music in a new way – playing along with bucket drums! Add optional classroom instruments for even more fun. This curated collection of earworms includes highlights from classical composers like Pachelbel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. These themes have stood the test of time and are still heard in movies, TV shows, and commercials today. Teaching suggestions, playing tips, complete score, and student parts are provided. Digital access allows you to download complete and accompaniment-only tracks as well as PDFs for printing or projecting. Grab your sticks, buckets, and instruments to take a musical journey from In the Hall of the Mountain King to the William Tell Overture! Recommended for grade five and up.

Bucket Blast Rock Hits by Tom Anderson
Get rockin’ as you jam along on Buckets and Percussion to songs that you love! Everything is provided from helpful warm-ups to authentic rhythms, grooves and playing suggestions. Iconic Rock songs like Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n Roll,” The Beatles “Drive My Car” and “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple are the musical foundation for play-along fun. Full scores are provided for the Teacher, along with digital access to play-along audio recordings and separate PDFs of Bucket Drum and Optional Percussion instrument parts. Authentic play-along tracks are included for rhythm-making fun. Suggested for grades 4-8. Grab your sticks, buckets and friends and Walk This Way to have a blast!

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

recommended by Jen Sper and Lisa Springer, School Choral Music Specialists

Teaching Beyond the Music: Tools for Addressing Societal Changes Through the Arts by Jason Max Ferdinand
Continuing the themes from the first volume Teaching With Heart, this second volume in the series exists to help teachers create a healthy culture in their classroom. With tools that will help teachers get to know their students better and get students to think more broadly about music and society, this book is less about notes and rhythms and more about connecting to each other and to the idea of conveying emotion and feeling through art.

Developed with the help of ten outstanding contributors, it encompasses a variety of arts disciplines, including band, orchestra, chorus, theater, musical theater, dance, and visual art. Each module addresses National Core Arts Standards and social-emotional learning standards. They contain activities that can be modified to suit any grade level, thought-provoking suggestions for community engagement, and suggested choral and instrumental repertoire that inspires empathy, unity, and connection. The book also includes more than 100 digital links for learning and reference as well as Quick Direct Icons to Read, Watch, Listen, Respond, Discuss, Record, Perform, and Present.

Shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

About the Authors:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.

Lisa Springer joined the Stanton’s choral staff in July 2023. She taught middle and high school choirs for 27 years in addition to serving as Artistic Director of the Columbus Women’s Chorus. She holds degrees from Heidelberg University and Cleveland Institute of Music. She has enjoyed an extensive professional singing career and continues to perform in the greater Columbus area. During her free time, she enjoys spending time in southern Ohio playing with her grandchildren.

recommended by Ken T., Band Education Specialist

A Conductor’s Interpretive Analysis of Masterworks for Band by Frederick Fennell
Frederick Fennell, widely acknowledged as the dean of American band conductors, has freely shared what he called long-distilled thoughts about the world’s greatest music for band. In this collection, he covers original scores by Persichetti, Hanson, Schuman and Chance, as well as classic works by Wagner and Holst. Fennell’s clear and to-the-point analysis/interpretations are based on a lifetime of careful research, rehearsals, and professional performances. In this informative work, you will find inspiration for a truly superior presentation of these masterworks for band. Includes: Divertimento for Band (Persichetti) * Symphony for Band (Persichetti) * Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral (Wagner) * Chorale and Alleluia (Hanson) * George Washington Bridge (W. Schuman) * A Moorside Suite (Holst) * Variations on a Korean Folk Song (Chance) * I Really Do Love Marches! (Fennell).

Performance Study Guides of Essential Works for Band by Donald Hunsberger
A truly outstanding collection of timeless essays on basic repertory for band by Frank L. Battisti, John Bourgeois, Frank Erickson, Robert Garofalo, Donald Hunsberger, Francis McBeth, Kenneth L. Neidig, Stephen L. Rhodes, Mark Scatterday, Thomas J. Trimborn and John Zdechlik. These clear and to-the-point analysis/interpretations are based on careful research, rehearsals, and years of high-level performances. In this informative work, you will find inspiration for a truly superior presentation of these masterworks for band.

A Catalog of Folk Song Settings for Wind Band by Mark Aldrich
This comprehensive collection of folk songs used in band masterworks is a wonderful source for determining interpretation and style, and will open the door to creative teaching. Folk song overviews include notated tunes, lyrics and brief historical annotations. A must-have for the imaginative teacher/conductor!

Percussion Assignments for Band & Wind Ensemble by Russ Girsberger
This two-volume publication provides guidelines on percussion player and instrument requirements for over 2,000 concert band and wind ensemble works. It contains helpful information for conductors, section leaders, stage managers, equipment managers and ensemble librarians. An incredible compilation for school, college, military, community and professional bands and wind ensembles.

Canadian Band Music: A Qualitative Guide to Canadian Composers and Their Work for Band by Michael Burch-Pesses
This one-of-a-kind volume is perfect for those who have never programmed a Canadian band piece or simply want to expand their knowledge of Canada’s many gems for wind band. With up-to-date biographies of 63 Canadian composers and more than 200 of their works in grades 1 through 6, this book’s listing of each work includes program notes, description of the piece, grade level, duration, and publisher. Also included are easy-to-use, four-year performance sequences for each grade level.

Sourcebook for Wind Band & Instrumental Music by Frank L. Battisti, William Berz & Russ Girsberger
This sourcebook was created to aid directors and teachers in finding the information they need and expand their general knowledge. The resources were selected from hundreds of published and on-line sources found in journals, magazines, music company catalogs and publications, numerous websites, doctoral dissertations, graduate theses, encyclopedias, various databases, and a great many books. Information was also solicited from outstanding college/university/school wind band directors and instrumental teachers. The information is arranged in four sections: Section 1 – General Resources About Music; Section 2 – Specific Resources; Section 3 – Use of Literature; Section 4 – Library Staffing and Management.

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About the Author:
A former band director, Ken taught grades 5-12 band and music appreciation in both public and parochial schools in Central Ohio, and has been at Stanton’s since 2004. His iPod ranges from jazz and funk to classic and alternative rock, and symphonies. His interests include reading, history, traditional amusement parks, outdoor activities (especially hiking), and watching hockey.

recommended by Ken T., Band Education Specialist

American Band by Kristen Laine
Every fall, marching bands take to the field in a uniquely American ritual. From the stands, it looks easy. You don’t see them sweat.

For millions of kids, band is more than a show. It’s a rite of passage – a first foray into leadership and adult responsibility, and a chance to learn what it means to be part of a community. Nowhere is band more serious than at Concord High School in Elkhart, Indiana, where the entire town is involved with the success of its defending state champion band, the Marching Minutemen.

In the place where this tradition may have originated, in the city that became the band instrument capital of the world, band is a religion. But it’s not the only religion, as director Max Jones discovers. After four decades. Jones’s single-minded devotion to musical excellence has fallen out of step with a younger generation increasingly focused on personal salvation. In what his students do not know is his final season of directing, he has assembled his most ambitious show ever, for the strongest senior class he has ever directed. Amid conflicting notions of greatness, the band marches through a season that starts in hope and promise, progresses through uncertainty and disappointment, and ends, ultimately, in redemption.

American Band is an unusually intimate chronicle of life, in all its triumph, disappointment, and drama, in the kind of community in which most of America lives. It is an especially timely portrait, capturing as it does the spirit of the heartland at a time of profound change. If you have ever been – or yearned to be – part of something bigger than yourself, you will be rooting for the kids whose voices fill this book.

On the Path to Excellence by William Carson
From its humble beginnings in 1956, to triumphant concerts in Europe and at the Midwest Clinic, the Northshore Concert Band has led an existence full of twists and turns, adversity and tenacity. How did this group of eleven American Legion musicians evolve into one of the most influential adult bands in history? Follow the story of John Paynter, Barbara Buehlman, and other important musicians as they guide the Northshore Concert Band on the path to excellence.

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About the Author:
A former band director, Ken taught grades 5-12 band and music appreciation in both public and parochial schools in Central Ohio, and has been at Stanton’s since 2004. His iPod ranges from jazz and funk to classic and alternative rock, and symphonies. His interests include reading, history, traditional amusement parks, outdoor activities (especially hiking), and watching hockey.

NOW AVAILABLE FROM STANTON’S SHEET MUSIC: ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS MUSIC CLASS

Hal Leonard’s EE Music Class provides exclusive resources for music classrooms. Our song library includes elementary music standards, popular music, and Disney favorites—all professionally arranged and professionally recorded specifically with the elementary music classroom in mind. We offer 180 fully developed, sequential lessons that seamlessly integrate social emotional learning competencies and musical skills vertically aligned for various age levels. In addition, EEMC includes a wealth of growing resources, including a library of Hal Leonard Digital Books, full Recorder and Ukulele Methods, as well as hundreds of worksheets and online activities.

Subscribe now for only $299.00 for a one-year subscription! Contact us for more information, and shop Stanton’s for all your sheet music needs!

The Voices I Hear by Will Kesling
Drawing from his five decades of success as a conductor and educator in the choral field, Will Kesling has compiled a comprehensive choral methods resource that addresses every necessary fundamental for achieving artistry in the choral art.

Written in clear and conversational language, this resource covers:
• Building a healthy and beautiful choral sound
• Dealing with vocal issues
• Selecting repertoire and programming concerts
• Developing score study skills and interpretive insights
• Understanding the characteristics of musical periods and composers
• Planning, preparing for, and running rehearsals

“The Voices I Hear” also explores important but often overlooked topics, including a discussion of performing sacred music in secular education settings, techniques for performing choral-orchestral works, choral versus orchestral conducting, and how to become a true “maestro.” Individual chapters also function as standalone topics of study.

A valuable read for emerging and seasoned conductors alike, “The Voices I Hear” is an expert study of the aesthetic, intellectual, and practical aspects of the choral art.

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The Business of Choir: A Choral Leader’s Guide for Organizational Growth by Emily Williams Burch & Alex Gartner
Today’s choral leaders wear many hats: fundraising director, development associate, communications manager, marketing designer, volunteer coordinator – the list goes well beyond beautiful choral performances. In many ways, leading a choir is much like running a business.

Written by two authors with extensive experience building choral programs from the ground up, The Business of Choir offers new insights, best practices, and practical action items for choral leaders looking to master the organizational and administrative elements of running a successful choral program.

Features include:
• A behind-the-scenes look at elements of running a choir that are seldom the focus of college music education courses.
• An actionable toolkit to bring a greater focus to accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion in choral spaces.
• Strategies to demystify fundraising and finance.
• Practical approaches to recruitment, retention, marketing, volunteer management, and board interactions.

Whether you’re looking to expand your fundraising efforts, hire your first administrative professional, or fine-tune your organizational policies and practices, this resource will provide the direction and clarity you need as you take the next big step in your organization’s journey.

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The Hal Leonard Vocal Method by Roger Emerson
The Hal Leonard Vocal Method is designed for anyone interested in learning the basics of singing, using vocal exercises and popular songs. Complete with demonstration audio tracks, accompaniment tracks, and step-by-step video instruction, this easy-to-use beginner’s guide serves as an introduction to everything needed to begin singing with proper technique. Topics covered include: posture, breathing, warm-ups, consonants, vowels, phrasing, vibrato and range extension.

Available in editions for Soprano/Alto (songs include: “At Last,” “Dancing Queen,” “Don’t Know Why,” “I Will Remember You,” “Rolling in the Deep,” “A Thousand Years,” and more) and Tenor/Bass (songs include: “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “Fire and Rain,” “Hallelujah,” “Mad World,” “Stand by Me,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Yesterday,” and more).

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