The Odyssey was written by Homer about 2700 years ago and tells of the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus during his harrowing return trip home after fighting the Trojan Wars. This work is suggestive of his dramatic encounter with the sirens, famous for luring sailors to their death with their beguiling wind-like song. In this descriptive piece you can hear the wind-song becoming evermore insistent, the rocking of the ship, Odysseus' screams, and finally the sirens plunging to their death as they fail in their attempt to lure Odysseus. Learn more on YouTube!
BandQuest®, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece.Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadable audio catalog.
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| List | $75.00 |
This arrangement for flexible instrumentation is a setting of three traditional Czech melodies displaying a wide range of moods and styles. Includes: Walking at Night; Meadows Green and Spring, The Madcap.
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| List | $10.00 |
Autumn on White Lake was commissioned by Lakeland High School of White Lake, Michigan. Sounds that conjure golden leaves, crisp air and rustic memories envelop your ensemble as well as the audience in this flourishing work as it recalls an October visit to this beautiful region. Dur: 6:30
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| List | $7.50 |
Using a recurring four-note motif and a variety of textural punctuations, here is a stunning and fresh-sounding overture from Richard Saucedo. A slow and lyric middle section featuring woodwind colors and rich emotional contours provides a stark contrast to the rhythmic intensity of the opening and closing sections. Dramatic and powerful! Dur: 4:15
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| List | $75.00 |
Adapted from the well-known piano composition Graceful Ghost Rag, here is William Bolcom's own very elegant and effective version for symphonic band. Written in a moderate ragtime tempo, this work utilizes a transparent scoring style along with soloistic passages contrasted with brief soli features for various sections of the ensemble. Unique and rewarding. Dur: 4:00 (Grade 4)
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| List | $85.00 |
The opening of this unique and masterful work for band places the wind players out in the audience as the listeners are surrounded by the effect of a swirling dance of celestial lights and sounds. Onstage, the percussion section introduces a driving ostinato pattern later picked up by the entire ensemble. A delicate and beautiful middle section almost suspends time as soloists provide a bluesy interaction with the rich background texture and each other. The frantic pace returns leading to a stunning chorale played by the winds while the percussion continues simultaneously at a separate tempo! A creative and magical addition to the repertoire! Dur: c. 9:30
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| List | $10.00 |
Imagine a colorful procession of magical and mythical characters and creatures. Imagine wizards and witches; jesters and jugglers; magicians and minstrels; gargoyles and goblins. Imagine brightly decorated wagons drawn by unicorns with stilt walkers and acrobats on unicycles. Imagine them all moving past in a stately procession heading towards Merlin's enchanted castle in the distance! Unique and descriptive, this marvelous work includes optional parts for choir (or synthesizer) for added enhancement and dramatic effect. Dur: 3:30
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| List | $7.50 |
On Cloud Nine is an impressive and energetic composition that will fit in just about any part of your concert program. The flashy opening segment features woodwind flourishes with powerful brass interjections. Following a slow and beautiful lyric setting of the theme featuring solos on horn and flute, the fast tempo returns and powers the piece to an exciting climax. With accessible ranges and modest technical demands, this work sounds harder than it really is. Dur. 3:00
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| List | $10.00 |
The melodic and harmonic genius of John Williams is dramatically displayed in his powerful, yet sensitive film score from Steven Spielberg's War Horse. This symphonic setting for band exemplifies the character and warmth of the score from soloist passages to sweeping full ensemble themes.
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| List | $85.00 |
| List | $7.50 |