Jeff Girard and Midwest Sheet Music present
The Wind Band Report
High School / Middle School Edition:
Welcome to 2106
Vol. 4, No. 2  Jan. 2016

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This is the High School/Middle school edition of the Wind Band Report. If you want to see a copy of the Collegiate level edition which I sent out the other day, click here.

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, including upcoming schedules, our web site, and new works and resources both on hand and coming down the pike. Peruse it at your leisure, and thanks for your support and interest. It's because of your questions that I can continue doing my research here for you.

First things first though - especially if you live in Missouri or Illinois...
Out of town Jan 28-30 - along with much of our stock.
Just an FYI, we have both the Missouri AND Illinois Music Educators conferences going on this 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.

In particular, we will have no solo and ensemble materials on hand this week. Please keep all of this in mind if you have an emergency order. We can always drop ship music from the publisher if you need it soon. We'll have much of the materials back on the shelf next week.


10% off web orders for High Schools and Middle Schools
If you teach at a High School or Middle school, you can save some money by ordering directly off our web site now. There's no need to sign up or register for anything. All you have to do is enter your school's billing information when you order, and we'll take 10% off the order. We can ship the music to a different location if you like. You can even pay for the order by credit card, just tell us in the order or give us a call with the number after placing the order. The secure online credit card acceptor is coming in the spring, so that will make it even easier then.

Don't see the music you want on our website? No problem, just type in the info you know into the entry line. We'll figure out what it is and get it for you. If we're not sure, we'll contact you first to be sure. We'll be uploading several more publishers this spring, but if you're after band music, there's a really good chance it's on our web site already.

The discount won't show online when you checkout, but we'll enter and process it when we invoice and ship the music, and the discount will show on your final invoice. There's a few exceptions and notes, you can read them here, but basically as long as you order through our web site (not email or phone) and it's an order being billed to your High School or Middle school, you'll get the discount.


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 several weeks. See below for more details.


Star Wars
The Force Awakens has become a force of nature. Hal Leonard has been working very hard to get the music from the music adapted for school ensembles. Listed below are the various settings that are coming. One of them is ready now, the rest will be coming in the next several weeks, with the easier works coming off the press first. 

We've pre-ordered copies of all of these, but if you want to get one of them I strongly encourage you to place your own pre-order. It's very likely that the first printing on some of these may sell out fast and it can take several weeks to get another print run done. Drop me a line or give me a call if you want to be put on the list.

(No sound clips available yet though)
Music from Star Wars_ The Force Awakens
Star Wars_ The Force Awakens
Music from Star Wars: The Force Awakens 
Arr. Michael Sweeney; Grade 2
IN PRINT NOW!

Set: $65
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Arr. Robert Longfield; Grade 1.5



Set: $50
Selections from Star Wars_ The Force Awakens
Soundrack Highlights from Star Wars_ The Force Awakens
Selections from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Flex Band)
Arr. 04004663; Grade 2.5

Set: $65
Soundtrack Highlights from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Arr. Michael Brown; Grade 3

Set: $75
March of the Resistance
Scherzo for X-Wing
Symphonic Suite from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Arr. Jay Bocook; Gr. 4


Set: $90
March of the Resistance (from Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Arr. Paul Lavender; Gr. 5

Set: $165
Scherzo for X-Wing (from Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Arr. Paul Lavender; Gr. 5

Set: $165


Other new works for Band
Eye of the Hawk
Eye of the Hawk
Susan Botti

The latest in the BandQuest series of works for young bands by famous composers who have not written for young band before. The work is inspired by the beautiful and majestic Hudson Valley, where the commissioning school is located. It's serene and flowing. If you've ever head Timothy Mahr's "The Soaring Hawk", you'll get a feel for the overall impression being conveyed in the work. Grade 2.5


Set: $60
Imaginarium
Randall Standridge

Grade 3. Composer Randal Standridge refers to the place where creativity dwells in each of us as the Imaginarium. The work is in four sections: "Sparks" where ideas begin to germinate; "The Cloud Factory," the day-dreamy zone where one imagines endless possibilities; "Here, There be Monsters..." is that moment of panic that all creative people feel when self-doubt sets in; and "Eurkea!", when the idea is fully realized. It's an engaging new work for young players.
 
Set: $125


New resources for Band
Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz for Beginning Ensembles

The newest entry in the long running GIA series uses the same format as the rest of the series, but focuses on jazz band repertoire between grades 1 and 3. Featuring practical perspectives from world-class jazz educators as well as an extended list of detailed repertoire, this book is one of the first of its kind for helping young jazz bands reach their peak through effective teaching and great repertoire. CD is not available yet. Also, available now is Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz Volume 2, contact me for more details.


Book: $44.95
Adventures in Band Building
Tom McCauley

Learn the ins and outs of leading a band to musical excellence from a veteran with more than 25 years of practical, real-world experience. Written in an engaging, conversational style, you'll feel as if you are chatting over coffee as you learn about insights, mistakes, revelations, and triumphs that would help any band director.It's written in a relaxed, conversational style, covering topics like job interviews, lesson plans, the first ten minutes, instrument substitutions, competition, and more. I've known Tom for many years, glad to see his vast knowledge being put to paper.

Book: $19.95
Rehearsing the Band Vol. 2

I assume you're familiar with the original Volume One of this book by John Williamson. It's been a staple for wind band directors and their students for years. Just like before, numerous well known directors share some of their tips and suggestions on how to have a more efficient and productive rehearsal with your wind band. Contributing directors this time include Michael Haithcock, Gary Hill, John Lynch, Mark Scatterday, and several others. 


Book: $19.95
Tips for Success: Guide for Instrumental Music Teachers

One of three new booklets published by the NAMM foundation, Tips for Success helps answer a range of questions, from how to prepare an instrument replacement plan to how to expand the learning power of music and much more. These tips are complemented by short videos to enhance the experience. The other two books are A Practical Guide for Recruitment and� Retention and Bridging the Gap Between Middle School and High School. Click on the links for more info about each. 
Book: $14.95


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 several other publishers loaded into it, as well as my reference book database and DVD databases. 

Also, send me your search queries for particular types of works. I've designed my database to help with this, so if you want to know what pieces feature the percussion section, what grade 2-3 pieces feature a trumpet soloist, or what pieces will help fill out your salute to China concert, let me help you find what's out there.And if you live in Illinois, I'll see you later this week!


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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