To be selected from the following:
Honor March - Sandy Feldstein and Larry Clark
Playing marches is part of the heritage of the concert band, and this one makes a great introduction to this important style of music. Listen for the light, bouncy rhythms of this excellent march...it will really get your feet tapping!
Celtic Air and Dance No. 2 - arranged by Michael Sweeney
Written in a style similar to the popular Celtic Air and Dance, here is another terrific setting of Celtic tunes arranged for very young bands. This arrangement opens with a beautiful and flowing version of the familiar air "Danny Boy." The setting concludes with the lively "Star of the County Down" featuring the percussion section and a dance-like melody.
Bohemian Rhapsody - arranged by Johnnie Vinson
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera. The song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack of a refraining chorus and consisting of several sections: an intro, a ballad segment, an operatic passage, a hard rock part and a reflective coda. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of the few songs to emerge from the 1970s progressive rock movement to achieve widespread commercial success and appeal to a mainstream audience.
Spirt of the Stallion - Brian Balmages
The stallion is the mascot of Stoneleigh Elementary, the commissioning group. As the title suggests, "Spirit of the Stallion" is a piece inspired by this powerful magnificent animal. The music conjures sentiments of pride, strength, daring and sheer power of will. It reflects these qualities and engages the listener in a wall of sonic colors combined with simple, yet powerful meter changes. One can feel the stallion galloping as it goes through a series of changing moods - from bold to graceful, fierce to humble. The music remains intense throughout, yet subtly balances these ever changing moods within the driving rhythms and colorful, daring harmonies.
To be selected from the following:
My Girl - Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, arranged by John Berry
"My Girl" was recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) record label. Written and produced by the Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, it became the Temptations' first U.S. number 1 single, and is today their signature song. Robinson's inspiration for writing "My Girl" was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".
Bubbert's Groove - Mike Steinel
Bubbert must have been a cool cat! Part of a larger collection, including "Bubbert Goes West", "Bubbert In Love", and "Bubbert Goes Retro", this original by Mike Steinel is written in a medium shuffle style and uses the blues scale for the improvisation section.
The Funky Monkey - Rick Stitzel
This funky, groovy tune comes to us from Rick Stitzel. We hope you have enjoyed our 8th Grade Jazz Band this evening!
To be selected from the following:
Silver Sable - David Shaffer
After a rousing introduction, David Shaffer's concert march "Silver Sable" begins with a memorable melody in the clarinet, saxophones, trumpets, and horns, with an accompanying countermelody in the trombones and baritones. This leads into a brief, staccato interjection followed by the smooth, softer Trio section. After a final repeat, this march comes to an exciting finale!
Soul Express - Steve Hodges
This one is sure to get your toe tapping! A catchy clarinet theme opens this fun and exciting piece, mixing a little bit of soul with a little bit of gospel rock! Every section gets involved with the melodies of this guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Fanfare for the Third Planet - Richard Saucedo
A dedication to our own planet Earth, this impressive piece features a rhythmic vitality throughout, along with fresh harmonies and skilled orchestral devices. Amid the powerful fanfare-like phrases, a brief calm section is created using the woodwinds and a unique layering effect before building to the dynamic ending.
Music from "Wicked" - Stephen Schwartz, arranged by Michael Sweeney
Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”
This arrangement by Michael Sweeney features the following songs: "No One Mourns the Wicked", "Dancing Through Life", "Defying Gravity", and "For Good".