July 15, 200916 yr Hey everyone, I've just been appointed conductor of a student band this school year, and I'm looking for suitable, "cool" music for us to play. Grade 2-5, maybe...big range, I know. But yeah, if anyone knows any interesting pieces for wind band, let me know! I think I'll be doing Ticheli's "Vesuvius", since we already own it; no more Ticheli for the year, thanks!
July 15, 200916 yr Maybe something like Grainger's Shepherd's Hey? That's kind of a little 'oldschool' cool. Themes from Green Bushes is a pretty cool little tune. Robert W. Smith has a great selection...I can think of Inchon and Africa off the top of my head. If you're in need of something slow, Eric Whitacre's Lux Aurumque is very pretty and modern.
July 15, 200916 yr Ghost Train, Eric Whitacre. People knock on Whitacre for being excessively "pretty" - this piece is the argument against that. If you don't mind pretty, go with October also by him. Bali, by Michael Colgrass if you have good (extensive) percussion resources. And I mean the instruments, not players. Jack Stamp is a good composer to look into, I did Gavorkna Fanfare (I think that's spelled right) and it was enjoyable. Alfred Reed, Russian Christmas Music - like 15 minutes long. But worth it. I'll think of more later, probably. EDIT: Hey here's something you might enjoy: http://www.musicdirectltd.com/concertbandbycom.html And I might finish something here in a few months, so you can just premiere something of mine! Seriously, I've got like 3 in the works.
July 15, 200916 yr Author Thanks you guys, for this! I appreciate it a LOT! I like Grainger. (Even though he was a psychotic asshole...) I'm thinking of doing his Children's March, actually! Sorry, I'm not a Smith fan, though. Most of his music sounds the same. -.-'' That's a good Del Borgo piece, one of his better ones, I'll say! I really really want to do a Whitacre piece that's really OUT THERE, like Godzilla Eats Las Vegas or Ghost Train, but they're all really tough and you have to rent them (according to my band director). Plus they're expensive, and as a student-run band, we don't have loads of money... Jack Stamp stuff is tough. Especially Gavorkna, goodness.
July 15, 200916 yr Gavorkna isn't too bad. We played that pretty well, and our band was far from really talented. I'd definitely recommend October if that's possible, that is such a beautiful piece. Love it. Also, Vesuvius is a nice choice! I know Holst has some suites for wind band, those are pretty fun. We played a movement from one and it was a success. Samuel Hazo's "Perthshire Majesty" is also really beautiful.
July 15, 200916 yr Bali, by Michael Colgrass if you have good (extensive) percussion resources. And I mean the instruments, not players. I've played that piece...it's a real pain to work up with so many solo sections, but it's a very strange and enticing work.
July 15, 200916 yr Gvorkna Fanfare is an awesome piece, but all of your trumpets and trombones must be able to double tongue to get it to work not to mention other things that I can't think of right now because I played it a long time ago (as a horn). That's exceedingly hard with a HS ensemble - but I don't know, maybe you have all good players. Unless... you mean these is for a college band. Might be worth a shot, then.
July 15, 200916 yr , but they're all really tough and you have to rent them (according to my band director). I've never heard that, and I personally have purchased a copy of the score to Ghost Train so I'm not sure if it's true. Of course it may be different for the full score and parts, but I think you can buy online. Try JWPepper. And yes, Ghost Train is ridiculous. October should be relatively easy, but then again you seem to think Gavorkna is really difficult and my high school wind ensemble had no real problems with it.
July 17, 200916 yr Gvorkna Fanfare is an awesome piece, but all of your trumpets and trombones must be able to double tongue to get it to work not to mention other things that I can't think of right now because I played it a long time ago (as a horn). That's exceedingly hard with a HS ensemble - but I don't know, maybe you have all good players. Unless... you mean these is for a college band. Might be worth a shot, then. Gvorkna Fanfare isn't hard, at all. Middle schools play it, bad high schools play it, it's a pretty standard "whatever" piece. If we want to talk about actual hard pieces, see Joseph Schwantner's wind ensemble works, or Karel Husa. Any Husa stuff for wind ensemble is phenomenal. Don't get fooled by people on here, if you want a decent piece that isn't hard, whip out Gvorkna or a Clifton Williams work.
July 17, 200916 yr Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night - by Elliot Del Borgo is interesting. Ahahaha. Poor Del Borgo - he writes the same thing over and over.
August 7, 200916 yr Illyren Dances-Woolfenden Shenendowa-Tichell Lincolnshire Posy-Granger October-Wildace Folk Dances-Shostakovitch Overture to Candide- Bernstein Purge of 1968- Husa Country Band March-Ives Variations on America-Ives Ghost Train-Wildace Armenian Dances (Part1)-Reed Rhapsody in Blue-Gershwin Endurance-Tim Mahr Puszta-Jan Van der Roost Gavorkna Fanfare-Jack Stamp Short Ride in a Fast Machine-Adams Windsprints- Saucedo Night On Bald Mountain-Modeste Moussorgsky First Suite in E Flat for Military Band-Gustav Holst March from Symphonic Metamorphosis-Paul Hindemith Ride-Samuel Hazo Sleep w/Chorus -Eric Whitacre These are the highlights of what I did in HS. Hope you find something.
August 7, 200916 yr How about some of the pieces written for children/educational purposes by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies?
August 7, 200916 yr Short Ride on a Fast Machine-John Adams: fun piece that's only difficult until you see the patterns. Overture to Candide-Bernstein, very fun. Any action movie suite. Bolt, King Kong, Incredibles 3 good ones I enjoy. They're usually pretty easy, but also fun for players and audiences.
August 10, 200916 yr You've already mentioned that you don't particularly care for Robert W. Smith, but his Symphony of Souls is very interesting.
September 14, 200916 yr Child's Garden of Dreams by Maslanka is amazing. I don't know if it falls into levels 2-5 though I don't know that much about the grading system.
September 15, 200916 yr Is "Anything" the name of a piece, or are you just using the word "anything"?
September 21, 200916 yr Now that I think about it (and I'm not trying to judge, to each his own), but isn't the term "cool wind ensemble piece" a bit of an oxymoron :P
October 4, 200916 yr To reinforce what's already been said, I'd suggest Puszta (Jan Van Der Roost), Overture to Candide (Bernstein), and Children's March (Grainger). I've played them all, and love them.
October 5, 200916 yr Children's March is wonderful. It never fails to get stuck in my head. Some other cool pieces: Any piece by John Mackey (Welcome to Osti Music) Windsprints and the "sequel" Whirlwinds by Richard Saucedo Ride by Samuel Hazo Any piece by David Holsinger Mambo Furioso by Brant Karrick
October 5, 200916 yr Author Mackey is good! Saucedo is alright, although sometimes his music sounds like marching band/field show music. >< Children's March is absolutely fantastic.
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