Week 3 Update from Feb 2, 2017

Greetings Capital Crescendos,

Theme for the Week:  6/8 time and key of concert c minor.

This week’s rehearsal

This week’s rehearsal started with our clinics for the first hour.  There will be two more clinics over the session: Feb 9 and March 2.

For the second hour (full band), we began with 76 Trombones, which is in 6/8 time (except for the first 2 bars in which we hear the percussion only).  This selection is from the music book Broadway Favourites.  – a great book to pick up and is available at St. John’s Music for $8.95.  Each book contains 2 arrangements of the pieces (for wind players):  half the book contains the solo part (where you play the melody part on your own) and the other half of the book contains the arrangements for playing with the band (a mix of melody and harmony). NOTE: be sure to check that the book has the name of your instrument at the top, as all the books have the same cover.

We reviewed the roadmap for 76 Trombones: at the DS sign at the end of bar 74 return to bar 7 and continue to bar 36 then jump to the coda and continue to the end.

New music for Chorale No. 1 by Johann Cruger was distributed (which is in the key of concert c minor).  This music is from a collection callled  Bach and Before for Band, by David Newell. This book is also available from St. John’s Music. The book which is specific to your instrument (check at the top for your instrument name) includes an excellent selection of pieces to use for warming up, working on tone, and ensemble playing. Each piece is arranged for solo, duet and four part harmony playing.  Next we played the concert c minor scale, arpeggio and chords using line 128 in Tradition of Excellence.  All of these selections in c minor lead our way into the next piece we worked on: Air For Band. This piece is in c minor until near the end, when there is a key change and the piece modulates into C major (bar before section E).

Next week

In addition to working on your band pieces,  this week have a look at the following selections from Tradition Of Excellence :  #135, 137, 146, 150

Audio links

Here are corresponding audio links for the pieces we now have. Listen without looking at your sheet music, and hear how your parts fit into the overall piece.

1. Land of the Midnight Sun by Vince Gassi  http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10050559
2. Air for Band By Frank Erickson     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrCsUo1ribI
3. Birdland by Joe Zawinul, arr. L Norred   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWJ0it4TfkE&list=PLd_hfxSSaY8AvhLFyy4MxyRgmJfWjs0e3&index=2
4. 76 Trombones, arr. M Sweeney  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTB4sCv9HA    NOTE: we will be playing at a slower, even tempo
5. Celtic Air and Dance, arr. M Sweeney http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10033567


Administration

One of our clarinet players has lost the cover for her clarinet mouthpiece.  If you accidentally picked up an additional cover, would you please bring it to our next rehearsal.

Social

Next week join us for Beer after Band at our favourite spot, Connor’s Gaelic Pub at 313 Bank St. There is lots of room for everyone.

Important Dates

Thursday March 16:  No band rehearsal
Thursday April 6: Final band rehearsal of the session
Sunday April 9 at 3:00: Spring Concert

Looking forward to seeing you all next week!
Sheila