Happy Star Wars day to everyone!
Just a few items about our New Horizons Band restart on Thursday evening.
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Place: Pierce Park (Appleton) pavilion
We will begin in sectional groups, not by Woodwinds and Brass, but by FLEX part divisions, of which there are 5. Percussion will meet as normal.
An Gehrmann will take Parts 1 and 2 with these instruments: flute, oboe, and trumpet
Kris Bryan will take Part 3 (clarinet and alto sax), Part 4 (tenor sax and horn), and Part 5 (trombone).
After 30 minutes we will take a 5-minute break, and then finish with the whole band together until 7:30.
Here’s some info on music:
Our first piece gives us a taste of Gustav Holst’s classic suite “The Planets.” Our arrangement includes “Mars” (which we’ll do this week), “Venus” (we’ll save for next week), and “Jupiter” which we’ll do this week.
Here is a link to hear our arrangement:
https://www.halleonard.com/product/4005567/suite-from-the-planets?subsiteid=6
Next is a popular arrangement (which often provides challenge with syncopation and other pop rhythms), Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” Here is a link to that:
https://www.halleonard.com/product/4003948/superstition?subsiteid=6
Finally, although we won’t get to it this first week, is a taste of another great suite, this one from Percy Grainger’s “Lincolnshire Posy”. Grainger is like Holst and also Ralph Vaughan Williams by making elaborate and classical arrangements of folksongs, in particular English folksongs. Our arrangement includes only 2 of the 6 parts of the suite: the lovely and evocative ‘Horkstow Grange’, and the lively ‘The Lost Lady Found.’ Not everyone takes to Grainger immediately, but once it’s mastered it’s usually a lot of fun to both play and hear. Here’s a link to it:
“Two Movements from Lincolnshire Posy”
https://www.halleonard.com/product/4005974/two-movements-from-lincolnshire-posy?subsiteid=6
Note to Mike, An, and Kris: the Holst (Mars & Jupiter) and Superstition, is probably plenty to work on, and sectional probably won’t be enough time, but we’ll get as much as we can, and still hope to get to it in full rehearsal.
Note to everyone else: since we’re just restarting, don’t panic if any music feels a little tough to start. We have lots of time to get better week by week. See you in 2 days.
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