Klarinet Archive - Posting 000491.txt from 2000/04

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] First year band music
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2000 20:12:29 -0400

Subject:
Re: [kl] good beginner books
Date:
Tue, 11 Apr 2000 16:39:47 -0700
From:
Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Organization:
Pacific Spirit Youth Band
To:
klarinet@-----.org
References:
1 , 2 , 3 , 4

Patty
There is indeed a fair amount of music already available for first year
band
which is musically exciting, challenging and enjoyable for kids to
play. All
the criteria you list below ( harmonies, colour percussion sounds,
limited
ranges, clarinets under the 'break') plus varied articulations and
styles are
planned for to differing degrees. The discerning band director will
seek these
out. My only complaint is that most of these arrangements don't
challenge low
brass players as much as the upper winds or even percussion. Lots of
this
first year music is classical, which means students learn early to love
the
classics. I am constantly amazed at how wonderful first year bands can
sound
when the group of kids decides that they want to be excellent.

Best wishes.

Patricia Smith wrote:

> I have really enjoyed this thread. I agree with elements of what each
of
> you has said.
> What I wish to comment on is how to approach early instruction in a
band
> environment.
>
> I have always believed that classes grouped together by sections or by

> individual instrument were better than full band for the first year.
I
> still think it is a great idea. However, I was indeed surprised by a
local
> middle school director who put together the most incredible spring
concert
> at the end of the school year. The band sounded good (she admitted to
me
> her clarinets needed more work than other sections, as clarinet was
her
> worst instrument - they still weren't bad compared to most), and the
> arrangements she used emphasized melody, phrasing and expression. I
was
> quite impressed.
>
> IMHO, perhaps more of us who go the music ed. route need to take
arranging
> classes. These were not required when I was in school, and now I wish
I had
> taken it as an elective. It was obvious to me that if a composer or
> arranger has a good idea of the limits of instruments in the hands of
the
> majority of children in their first year, s/he will be able to work
within
> those limits to produce more listenable music which is challenging but
not
> too difficult for the first year player. (for instance staying within

> certain ranges and harmonics for flutes and brass, introducing certain

> percussion for color, rather than just snare and bass drum, etc.)
This is
> something I was able to pick up during my years in the Navy Music
program,
> but I still have to review the instruments and what most first year
players
> can do. And I find a lot of method books for band are not the
greatest.
>
> Anyway, thanks for a most thought provoking and educational thread.
>
> Patty Smith
>

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