Welcome to the Blue Band Page

Recording

Program Notes (from the conductor's score)

"Encyclopedia Britannica defies the word dramatic by referring to music with a powerful voice and declamatory style. The encyclopedia also notes that the term refers to those situations in life and the arts that stir the imagination and emotions deeply. With these thoughts in mind, the title "Dramatico" aptly encapsulates the power, energy, and imagination of the developing musicians for whom the composition is written. Beginning with a very dramatic opening statement by the woodwinds and followed by the full ensemble, the piece takes the band and the listener through a wide range of dynamic statements leading to a very powerful conclusion."

A few more notes:

• Saxes and French Horns - When you have the grace notes, please play the small note immediately before the beat happens.  It should almost sound like a bagpipe.
• At measure 64, it says "With renewed energy!"  We don't create the renewed energy with an increase in tempo or dynamic. Percussionists, you will create this "renewed energy" with your parts, but you don't need to do anything extra.
• If your part says "bell tones" in measures 66 and 67, you also have an articulation you may have never seen before - "sfz" (sforzando).  A sforzando is a loud accent.  In our parts, the sfz is then followed by a crescendo.  What I would like you to do is after you play the sfz, immediately get quiet so you can then crescendo up to the fortissimo at measure 68. The most important part of these measures is the quiet part. If we don't get quiet enough, our fortissimo closing statement will lose some of its power.
• Don't overplay the fortississimo (fff) in the last measure.
• Percussionists, please make sure nothing is ringing at the end of the song.

Recording

Program Notes (from the conductor's score)

"Today we live in a world of chaos and noise. Often, we find ourselves racing between work, family, travel, school etc. so much that we tend to lose track of how quickly life is going by. Amidst all this chaos, I try to find time each day to relax and reflect on life itself, often times in the evening at twilight, as the noise of the world around me fades into silence. Frequently, I am 'recharging my batteries' more than just reflecting, but doing so in a truly peaceful way. The piece ....At Twilight captures the reflection and rest that I experience during this time without the interruptions of cell phones, email or any other connections to the outside world. It is my hope that listeners will take just a few moments and experience this quiet...this tranquil feeling..that comes...at twilight."

Of the five pieces we are playing, I think this one is my favorite.

A few more notes:

• Trumpets, we will not use straight mutes.
• Anything marked as a solo or 2 players will be played by everyone.
• In case I missed a part, or you can't understand my handwriting, I added a fermata in the first measure. This will allow our suspended cymbal player the chance to take their time on the roll he/she has and really start it quietly and have a nice controlled roll.
• I will cut everyone off after the fermata in measure 3 and give everyone that is playing a one beat breathe before we start measure 4. The same thing will happen at measure 7.
• This song has a lot of suspensions. Suspensions in music aren't like suspensions from school. School suspensions are bad. Musical suspensions are good and they sound so cool when they resolve. Tenor saxes, french horns, trombones, baritones, and bassoons - you have quite a few of these in the song. When they happen, play them with good support and tone.
• This is a piece where we will make the most music. (I'll explain this too in May) But, we can only do that if everyone looks up every once in a while at me. This is especially important around measure 46.
• If you play in measures 57 to the end, you need to take a BIG breath before you start. Please don't breathe between measures 57 and 58.

Recording

Program Notes (from the conductor's score)

"Zombies seem to be everywhere these days; in movies, books, television shows, and video games.  These creatures of the imagination have become a part of pop culture phenomenon.  Zombie Stomp brings out the ghoulish in all of us."

A few more notes:

• Wind players, when you stomp, please be careful how you hold your instrument. Don't let your enthusiastic stomping cause your instrument to fall.
• Percussionists, have fun with your soli section at measure 29 because it is not often you get a section like this.  However, please make sure that you still create good sounds and stay within yourselves.
• Percussionists, please make sure nothing is ringing at the end of the song.

Recording

Program Notes (from the conductor's score)

"'Cango Caves' is a musical depiction of the early exploration of natural caves in the Swartberg range of the South African Cape region. Discovered in 1780 by a farmer, Van Zijl, recovered stone artifacts used by the Bushman show that they inhabited these caves 25,000 years earlier during the Middle Stone Age. Subterranean water over the tens of thousands of years first scoured the honeycomb of chambers and passages. The water then carried the soluble calcium carbonate through tiny cracks and fissures to allow the formation of stalactites and the gradual build from the floor of stalagmites. Throughout the many chambers of the Cango network, many of these deposits have joined to form imposing pillars, while elsewhere brilliantly colored flowstone walls and curtains of calcite reflect the light of the visitors' headlamps. Rimstone pools, calcite flowers and straws, and helictites--which grow in all directions--add to the magic."

A few more notes:

• For the percussionist playing the percussion II part, the shaker part is more important than the triangle part.  Only play the triangle part if you can do so without compromising the shaker part.
• Make sure you count carefully in this song.  More often than not, there are at least three different things happening.
• Percussionists, please make sure nothing is ringing at the end of the song.

Recording

Program Notes (from the conductor's score)

"A' flash point' is described as a point at which someone of something bus=rsts suddenly into action or being."

A few more notes:

• Throughout this song we will hear contrasting articulations (slurs vs. staccato/accents) happening at the same time.  They key is to present both equally.
• Make sure we play measure 27 at piano so the triangle part can be heard. This section also creates a nice contrast to the louder opening section, and also allows us to grow dynamically until the end of the song.
• Percussionists, please make sure nothing is ringing at the end of the song.