Curriculum and Repertoire

Middle School

Middle School Curriculum

With the help of several mentoring band directors and the faculty at The Ohio State University, I've developed a curriculum of skills that middle school students should be able to demonstrate competency of at each grade level (or year in band). It's broken into three categories for each level - emerging, intermediate, and accelerated - to help more easily quantitatively (and qualitatively) define the content mastery level of a student.

Also included is a sample learning check - what a student should be able to demonstrate - for a single grade and competency level.

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6th Grade Repertoire

What Lurks in the Shadows (Evan VanDoren)

This is a great way to introduce accidentals in full band music to beginners. Accidentals are present in all parts and is part of the same repeating theme throughout the piece, allowing young students to be able to grab onto it through repetition.

Attack of the Garden Gnomes (Timothy Loest)

This piece works well as an early introduction to march style that is appropriate for the beginning level. It utilizes an appropriate range that is achievable by most beginners, while also having special eﬀects such as marching and screaming.

7th Grade Repertoire

Dark Adventure (Ralph Ford)

This piece is a great avenue to either introduce chromaticism to students, or to enforce and build in the literacy of reading the notes. Every instrument’s part has some form of chromaticism, making the concept applicable to the whole ensemble.

Smithsonian Suite (Brian Balmages), A Prehistoric Suite (Paul Jennings)

Both of these selections introduce students to multi-movement works. Each work is programmatic, which can help students in differentiation between the varying styles of each of the movements as well as teaching them about the meaning of a programmatic work.

Above and Beyond (James Swearingen)

This piece introduces students to the vitally important fanfare style, which is present throughout the whole piece. It also expands the harmonic vocabulary of the students, making critical use of the tritone in the closing themes of the piece.

8th Grade Repertoire

The Great Locomotive Chase (Robert W. Smith)

This work has several contrasting sections and imaginative percussive textures, such as using chimes and snare drum to replicate a train. This piece was written about a real historical event, allowing students to make a connection while bringing this work to life.

Ghost Dancing (Brant Karrick)

This piece expands student’s harmonic vocabulary, using scales and tonalities that are simply less common in music for younger band. This work by nature also increases student’s music literacy, as they must read through the many accidentals and styles.

Spania (David Shaffer)

This work is a non-traditional march. It has some typical march characteristics but is meant to replicate a more Spanish style. It brings a different harmonic palette, and some vertically written rhythmic syncopation.

High School Concert Band Repertoire

OMEA Class C Level

The Voyaguers (Pierre La Plante)

This piece is composed of three movements: I. En Roulant, II. A La Claire Fontaine, and III. "Rendezvous". The first movement allows an opportunity for students to become more familiar with 6/8 meter. The second movement, a slow ballad, segues directly into the third movement, a more up-tempo tune with common use of basic 16th note rhythms in all parts. This work has appeared on the OMEA Class C required list.

Byzantine Dances (Carol Britton Chambers)

This work allows for a large focus on dynamics that is often necessary for younger ensembles. This piece also is in a mode that is not common in literature of this level, allowing it to invoke a sort of Eastern European feel. The clapping section in the middle of the work also allows for additional uniqueness.

Nathan Hale Trilogy (James Curnow)

This piece has three movements: I. Intrada, II. Intermezzo, and III. The Rangers. It is a staple of repertoire for younger high school ensembles, and is on the Core Repertoire list for OMEA Class C.

OMEA Class B Level

Imaginarium (Randall Standridge)

This is a relatively new piece that is currently on the OMEA Class B required list. It features multiple meters, and constant ostinatos. It has an "internal movement" structure, where there are multiple contrasting titled sections but no hard stops. Additionally, it has some harmonic vocabulary that is not typically present in repertoire that students have likely played before this work. The variety presented in this piece is great for students as they learn it.

Hadrian's Wall (Robert W. Smith)

This is a programmatic work about Hadrian's Wall, the physical border between what is now England and Scotland constructed by the Romans. This piece features many opportunities for an ensemble to refine its articulation clarity, as well as their phrasing. Additionally, there is a technique challenge that is presented to students as the work is rehearsed closer to marked performance tempos.

The Washington Post (John Phillip Sousa)

Marches are a critical part of the development of band musicians. While some marches may not be hard from a technical standpoint, the march style is something that all bands can benefit from learning and refining.

OMEA Class A Level

3 Celtic Dances (James Swearingen)

This work is a 3-movement work, including I. Reel, II. Air, and III. Jig. All movements are loosely based on traditional Scottish dance music. The third movement is in 6/8 meter, and in the key of G major, which is uncommon for lower difficulty levels of band literature. There are many opportunities to build the ensemble's technique in the first and third movements, as well as phrasing, intonation, and balance in the slower second movement. This piece has appeared on the OMEA Class A required list.

First Suite in E Flat (Gustav Holst)

This piece serves as one of the most famous and recognized pieces of literature. It has been recorded by nearly every major wind ensemble and military band. Although maybe not as technically difficult as some other works at this level, the challenge for students comes from the polishing process of the whole work and trying to emulate the level of perfection that the military bands have. This work is on the Core Repertoire list for OMEA Class A.

Flight of the Pegasus (David Shaffer)

If there were a contest for concert band literature that could pass as old drum corps shows, this piece would be a strong contender. The piece has multiple styles and themes that present themselves constantly throughout the piece and brief 'feature' segments for each wind section. This piece allows for the honing of some less common skills in a full ensemble context such as multiple tonguing.

OMEA Class AA Level

Lincolnshire Posy (Percy Grainger)

This is another piece that is worked its way to being a standard of wind band repertoire. It is based on several English folk songs Grainger collected on a trip to Lincolnshire. Instead of choosing to fit the music to an easier setting, he chose to instead adjust his notation to better reflect the individuality in the way that the folk singers would render their tunes. This piece is on the core repertoire list for OMEA Class AA, but only 4 movements are required, two of which must be III and V.

Arabesque (Samuel Hazo)

Although this piece may be relatively new compared to some other entries on this list, it holds the same level of notoriety among wind bands. Originally written for the Indiana All-State Band, this piece presents a challenge for all instrument in terms of technique. It also presents an advanced challenge: clarity of all parts in thickly scored moments. It also presents the Arab influence brought by Hazo and his ancestry.

Puszta (Jan Van der Roost)

This work is a multi-movement composition that compiles 4 original themes meant to capture the sound and spirit of Romani music. Each movement captures the likeness of a different style of the dance. This piece stretches the stylistic boundaries of students, exposing them to a type of music they are most likely unfamiliar with.

High School Jazz Band Repertoire

The jazz band is still comparatively new to academia and high school curriculums. This combined with the fact that jazz bands played what was the popular music of the day means that there is a lot of variety in modern jazz ensemble repertoire that is playable by or written for the high school jazz band. I am a believer in the school of thought that even if a band is just starting out, they should still be playing authentic music. Even arrangements written for professional bands like the Count Basie Orchestra or Duke Ellington's band are more than achievable by high school level players. Thus, most of the music that is programmed for a jazz band should be either the original chart, or similar arrangements of big band standards. The selections listed below reflect that.

Blues

Blues, while related to swing, deserves its own category. It is the foundation upon which the big band and jazz are built upon and is fundamental in the development of young jazz musicians, as well as a critical part of the curriculum for more developed musicians.

Everyday (I Have the Blues (arr. Bob Ojeda)

Although this arrangement is simple, it is perfect for bands of all levels to work on their ensemble sound and their style. A vocalist is featured throughout the chart, with the band finally taking the melody from the vocalist during the shout section at the end.

Blue Train (arr. Mark Taylor)

This is a big band arrangement of the John Coltrane original Blue Train. With a simple melody (written in its original key!), this chart is great to help young bands learn the form of the blues and begin to improvise.

Nostalgia in Times Square (arr. Sy Johnson)

This arrangement is the original recorded by the iconic Charles Mingus. Since it's what they recorded, students can choose to learn this tune by playing along with the original recording. This tune also features a stop time section to solo over, which is a different texture not often seen in more modern charts.

Swing

Swing is the defining characteristic of jazz, and most music written for big band during its hay day was swing music. Swing should compose the majority of selections played by a high school ensemble.

Bewitched (arr. Rick Stetzel)

This chart is a tune borrowed from a musical - an important theme in early jazz and big band music. This arrangement is perfect for a younger band, but a more developed band could also use it to push their stylistic interpretations and authenticity.

Pennsylvania 6-5000 (arr. John Berry)

This is a classic tune popularized by the iconic Glenn Miller band, rewritten to better serve the younger musicians found in a typical high school jazz band. While it is more level-appropriate than something played on a Glenn Miller recording, it still maintains the authenticity of the genre and is a great fit.

Splanky (arr. Sammy Nestico)

This chart comes from one of the most definitive big band albums of all time: The Atomic Mr. Basie. It starts more subdued and slowly works its way to a large shout chorus at the end. This arrangement is the arrangement played on the record, allowing students to connect more to the music by simply being able to listen to a great band play it.

Latin

The name "Latin" encompasses such a broad spectrum of genres that it'd be like calling anything with guitar rock. There's a wide variety of styles and nuances within this label, and it is important that multiple Latin styles are played by developing bands.

St. Thomas (arr. Michael Sweeney)

This is a big band adaptation of the Sonny Rollins standard. This chart is great for younger ensembles because of the amount of unison content it has, while keeping the integrity of big band harmony and the melodic content.

Cubano Chant (arr. Victor Lopez)

This chart features a call and response, in which the call never changes but the response does. It captures the spirit of Cuban dance music, while adding in influences presented by American big band and dance music.

Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcavado) (arr. Paul Murtha)

This tune is a prime example of the rise of Bossa Nova. The increase in its popularity in the United States created alternate English lyrics to originally Portuguese language tunes. This chart is not only considered a jazz standard on its own but allows for the discussion of assimilation of Latin genres into American popular music.

Funk

Funk may have been after time prime time of the big band, but that doesn't mean that it didn't have any influence on it. "New" standards played by jazz fusion bands have been commonly adapted for big bands, creating even more variety in styles played.

Critical Mass (arr. Jeff Jarvis)

This original by Jeff Jarvis opens with a trombone feature, something that doesn't happen too often. This chart blows straight down, with features for all sections that everyone in the band will enjoy playing.

Cold Duck Time (Mark Taylor)

This tune wasn't very well rehearsed in its original recording, but that doesn't mean that the band has to sound like that. It has a backbeat groove that is sure to get any audience to groove along. It is a great learning tool for young improvisers, with a simple harmonic structure that is perfect for beginners.

Mercy Mercy Mercy (arr. Robert Woods)

This tune, originally written by Josef Zawinul, has been covered many times since it premiered with Cannonball Adderly's band. The simple structure and melody of the chart allows the band to focus on the groove and style that this tune can bring to a listener.

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