Penguin Promenade
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Penguin Promenade is a lively and fun beginning band piece perfect for first-year concerts or classroom learning. My goal in writing this piece was to give an easy and fun way to apply beginning concepts to very young players. Also, penguins are fun and a provide great imagery for young band studnets. To emphasize the light-hearted feel, I added cabasa and recommend xylophone for the mallet parts. Penguin Promenade is an excellent choice for introducing young bands to ensemble playing while maintaining a fun and energetic atmosphere.
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Correlating Adaptable Chamber Music!
Marching Along
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This is a beginning band composition that utilizes the first five notes learned (in the typical band method). It also correlates with Foundation Warm-Ups 1. It is an optimistic, joyful piece complete with melodies passed around from group to group. There is a mixture of instrument combinations to help young players hear each section and how they can combine to make different timbres. Sometimes it's high voices vs. low voices, sometimes its brass vs. woodwinds. Though it may be too early to get into the specific techniques of "march style" for players this young, this piece is definitely march-like and will be a good intro to the type of piece.
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Folk Dance
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Folk Dance is a simple and joyful piece for beginning band. It only uses the first five notes (typically) learned. The music alternates between tutti and individual sections, giving young players a chance to hear different timbres and practice blending tone. This piece also gives a chance for young players to play through a full page of music without stretching beginning skills too far. There is only one dynamic marked at the beginning. If the performing ensemble is ready for more, add some! Folk Dance is a fun and developmentally sound piece for beginning band.
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Balloon Parade
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Balloon Parade is a march-like, joyful beginning band tune. It utilizes the first five notes in various combinations and patterns, creating harmonies between the different sections. Each instrument section gets a chance at the melody and melodic-like passages. The brass and woodwinds only have half/quarter notes and rests. Only the percussion (snare, tambourine) has eighth note rhythms. This piece would be a great addition to a first year concert, or just as a learning piece when getting used to playing music with the full ensemble.
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Jingle Bells - beginning band
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This is a simple, straight-forward arrangement of Jingle Bells for beginning band. I wrote this to align with first year player's abilities around the time of the first Winter/Holiday Concert. The abilities needed won't stretch young players, AND it is a full-length beginner piece. The low brass/reeds also gets a chance at the MELODY! Check it out... a great festive tune for the youngest of players 🔔🎊
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30 Progressive Exercises for Band (or individual study)
(Beginner to Very Easy)
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This is the first iteration of a series of exercises that follows musicians as they progress through learning an instrument. The series generally follows the progression of what is used in most beginning band books.
These exercises can be used as - study etudes - ensemble or individual sight-reading - pass-offs exercises - even cut time practice (pull these back out when players are older and working on cut time. Would be a great "read-through" just to practice the concept) |
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Rhythm Masterclass - Set #1
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Rhythm Masterclass is a series of videos and counting exercises that follows the progression from the very beginning of learning to read and count music. Each video includes a four step process: count and clap with scrolling line, count and clap without line, sizzle/tizzle and do the fingerings with music on screen, PLAY with music on screen. The rhythms/music correlate with my Progressive Exercise Series (listed above). The idea is to progress gradually through rhythms, not adding too much too fast. I'm a huge believer in treating reading new rhythms like playing long tones...do it every day!!
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