Jeff Girard and Midwest Sheet Music present
The Wind Band Report
Collegiate Edition:
Welcome to 2106
Vol. 4, No. 1  Jan. 2016

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Wow. Little crazy here.

I had planned on getting a newsletter out immediately after Midwest, but I didn't anticipate just how busy I would be cleaning up loose ends from Midwest, dealing with the Christmas holidays, and doing prep work for the upcoming state conventions. Then schools started up and the floodgates opened. I eventually saw the light at the end of the tunnel this last Thursday when I finally caught up on processing all my (then) current orders. Hopefully that light isn't a train.

I have a few things to talk about, some of it a continuation of my last newsletter, some of it new. If you just want to listen to some new stuff, scroll down a ways. I plan to have editions in the coming months focused on single publishers (Hafabra, Tierolff, Piles, Star Music, Studio Music) and composers (Rolf Rudin, James Stephenson, David Avshavalov, David Biedenbender). I may not get them all done this year because I made a promise not to turn this into a spam machine, but I can always give you advanced info on any of these people at any time.

So here's some information for you to peruse at your leisure. Thanks for your interest, it's because of your questions that I can continue doing my research here. 
Out of town Jan 28-30
Just an FYI, we have both the Missouri AND Illinois Music Educators conferences going on next week, so not only will I be out of town Thursday-Saturday for IMEA, we will be short staffed that week and have a lot of music out of the store, especially all our solo and ensemble materials. Please keep that in mind if you have an emergency order.


CBDNA conferences
Midwest Sheet Music is planning on attending several of the regional CBDNA conferences this year. There will be one I have to send a proxy for because I will be at another CBDNA conference the same weekend, but we'll still have a full display there. Some of you may remember Jim Kerfoot from the Shattinger days. He's actually been working with me at the store here and he's helping us to cover two conferences at once.

If you're hosting one of these regional CBDNA conferences, I'll be reaching out to you in the next several days to start the prep work. If you're a member in one of these regions, I hope you'll find the time to attend your regional conference. It's not just a meet and greet, it's a great opportunity to learn new resources, materials, ideas, and repertoire for your students.  I strongly encourage you to find the time, even if it's for one day, to take advantage of all your fellow college directors have to offer.

Southern Division - Charleston Southern University, Feb 18-20
North Central Division - Iowa State University, Feb. 25-27
Southwestern Division - University of Colorado, Boulder, Mar 17-19 (with Jim Kerfoot)
Western/Northwestern Divison - University of Nevada, Reno, Mar 17-19

I'm sorry I couldn't fit in the Eastern Division 
conference at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT on March 10-12, but if you're in that division take the time to follow up with your fellow directors.
Conducting Symposiums
I mentioned this in the last newsletter. If you are hosting a conducting symposium this spring or summer, I can list your session on our website and include all the available required repertoire for your session, as well as a link to your web page to sign up or get more information. You can then refer any participants to our site and they can get all the repertoire they need at once. 

I know many of you have announced your symposiums through the CBDNA listserv and I'll be following up on all of those personally soon, but if you know you want to be a part of this just drop me a line telling me the required repertoire and the number of expected participants. I'll get all the scores into the store so participants won't have to wait on getting them. And don't forget I can do the same thing for your conducting classes each semester as well.


Band category searches
Here again are some more of the band searches I've recently done for people on a certain topic:


*This only includes music from the original 6 movies. There are 7 settings from the new movie due out in the next 2-10 weeks, with the easiest ones coming out first. Here's a list of all the editions coming. I have pre-ordered copies of all of these, so if you want one let me know and I'll put you on the initial list. There's a good chance some of these will run out of their first printing very fast, so if you really want to do one for an upcoming concert consider getting one reserved for you.


New works for Band
Hosannas
Saint Francis
Hosannas
David Maslanka

Commissioned for the retirement of Gary Green, Maslanka refers to this seven movement work as a "Shout of praise". Three of the movements draw their melodic basis from Bach chorales, while the final movement calls for a tenor soloist and a small accompaniment of players from the ensemble. This is not a raucous kind of praise though, but rather a centered, spiritual declaration of joy and satisfaction in the completion of life's work. 

Score: $119
Set: $299
St. Francis
David Maslanka

Grade 5.5 This extended two movement work was inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi and a dream the composer had about him. It depicts the saint's fierce and unshakable determination to imitate the way and being of Christ as closely as possible. The main challenge for your ensemble will be merging the long slow melodic phrases with the challenging, furious chromatic runs occurring simultaneously in some of the more intense sections. 
Score: $79
Set: $279
Celebration Overture
Hymn for World Peace
David Maslanka

This grade 4.5 work opens peacefully with Maslanka's usual style of arpeggiating and rolling piano chords over longer wind tones. The music turns to become angrier and more biting in the middle before returning to a more elaborate version of the tranquil opening, leading to an extended powerful climax with a tranquil coda.

Score: $79
Set: $349
Celebration Overture
Paul Creston - ed. John T. Madden

This classic work has been updated and edited to correct errors, clean up the parts, and includes a full score. Written in 1955 as a commission by Edwin Franko Goldman, this is a good opportunity to showcase one of the classic repertoire works from the early days of the then burgeoning wind ensemble movement in schools. 
Score: $18.75
Set: $125
Wayfaring Stranger
Christopher Nelson

Grade 4. This setting of this famous American spiritual is just gorgeous. Christopher Nelson's use of color is beautiful and exquisite. The orchestration is innovative, creating an ambiance and mood that so perfectly captures the conceptual heart of this tune. If you don't know the lyrics, read them first and then listen to the piece. You'll see what I mean about Nelson effectively capturing the essence of this song.

Score: $18
Set: $89
Pictures at an Exhibition
Mussorgsky / Ravel / Lavender

It took over a year from when it was first announced for publication until now, but it's finally ready. Paul Lavender's transcription of the famous Ravel orchestration toured with the United States Marine Band to much acclaim. Scores and sets are on hand now. If the Ravel setting isn't to your liking, ask me about other available settings of this classic work. If you're particularly adventurous, you could even pick and choose your movements from the various settings out there...
Score: $85
Set: $895



We're still getting packed for the Illinois and Missouri MEA, so time to get back to that. Don't forget to check out our website when you get a chance, especially now that my personal database of wind band information has been uploaded to it. Over the summer I'll work on getting my reference book database and DVD database uploaded, as well as getting the data from several other publishers loaded. 


Thanks for reading, drop me a line anytime.

Jeff Girard
Instrumental Specialist
 
Instrumental Music (my direct line): 314/942-1522
 
General phone line: 314/291-4686    Fax: 314/621/4166
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