Hi Everybody,
Welcome back. This is going to be one of THOSE years: personal growth, quickly figuring out what they are good at and WORKING IT, re-establishing your success "baseline", inspiring, motivating and nurturing EXCELLENCE. I'm pretty excited to witness your successes! Here are the updates for the Fall including my picks from the New releases for Concert Band!
MUSIC OVER PROCESS: THERE HAS GOT TO BE A LINE. WE STILL NEED A PRODUCT!
I've got something to say about all of this. This was originally going to be a RANT but I have since decided to layout my thoughts and articulate them via my repertoire selections below.
This is not intended as a political piece(at all)....
I have recently been seeing advocacy for “Process over Product” from the composition community, specifically when it comes to the programming of Concert Band repertoire.
In an important age of equity and the movement towards finding and programming music from underrepresented composers – one thing has not really changed. While I am not in the classroom 5 days per week, I am around rehearsals and students and about 400 performances (and post-performances) over the course of the 9 month period starting in September.
Kids don’t want to practice, rehearse, or perform music which they don’t enjoy. This is either because it dosen’t sound good, they aren’t learning anything, their parts don’t make any sense, or the piece goes no where (has no climax, ends randomly/abruptly, etc). Audiences absolutely do respect the social and political aspect of the process, particularly if there is a story involving adversity and triumph over that adversity. But at the end of the day, they are not engaged if the piece sounds like it has no substance.
There is an ongoing question about integrity, composers and publishers intentions, and how all of that relates to the musical/educational outcome of the PRODUCT itself.
If I started to get into that discussion, this would turn into a 350 page book and I'd have fewer friends at the end of the epilogue. So, instead....here are a few questions.
As a band director, who do you programme repertoire for? Is it for the students? their parents/communities? your admin? the OBA so that you're following our syllabus? Yourself? All or none of the above? Do you make the choices and decisions for the ensemble or is it a collaborative process? What were some of the factors which went into your planning/decisions? Where is the line?
On that bewildering note, I present to you:
SHASHI’S 2025-2026 NEW RELEASE LIST FOR CONCERT BAND
(this is an independent list, please contact your favourite dealer or publisher/composer if applicable to purchase- and let me know if you need contact info or recommendations)!!
I believe these pieces sound good, have loads of teaching/learning, and audiences/adjudicators/communities will ENJOY listening to them! THEY HAVE SUBSTANCE!
Grade 0.5 – 1
The Darkest Hour – Ryan Meeboer
A fun and intense way to engage your first, or more likely second year students! There's so many cool things in this: Call and Response, spooky A flats and B naturals, and a melody which I believe Grade 6 or 7 kids will like!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Tg-jruC_M&t=6s
Dover Castle - Rogers
Mekel Rogers is always reliable in the Grade 0.5 category. This piece has more teachable material than in the first half of any method book! Check out some of his other 0.5's: Jester Dance, Union March, Jupiter Fanfare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrQTy7DWNKg&t=29s
Recharge – Adrian Sims
Contained in the first 6 notes and within the rhythmic rules of a Grade 0.5, there is a little bit of independent movement which would need to be negotiated. Otherwise this is a great way to teach counting/rhythm and time at an early stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMB8jJi5-1I&t=32s
Twilight’s Glow – Ryan Meeboer
This is a lovely ¾ lyrical piece with a really nice (close) texture , perfect for a middle festival piece, but also good for tuning work in Concert E flat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiiCZmsb9vc
Prairie Sunset – Kenley Kristofferson
A great (but very short) lyrical with some beautiful (moving) moments!
https://barnhouse.com/product/023-5182-00/
Grade 1.5
Basilisk – Tyler Arcari
This is a video game inspired piece , and the reason I like it is for the low brass writing! Great parts . There is a definite syncopated groove in this ¾ piece , a good mechanism to teach and transfer to more difficult pieces down the road
https://excelciamusic.com/product/hcb2502-basilisk-arcari/
Escape Velocity – Michael Oare
It’s the sequel to Terminal Velocity – great and ENGAGING piece for the musicians and this would work great as a start off piece for a senior band to get the chops going again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YwuOH5ijtg
Floating - Todd Stalter
This is a slightly longer multi-sectioned lyrical ¾ piece. It’s probably a Grade 1.5, and appropriate for an experienced Grade 9 Band (in Ontario) or an upper-level elementary group. It’s melodic enough that the students may actually want to learn about slow music (lol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A83mdUDbvjk
Grade 2 – 2.5
Dark Dances – Patrick Smith
Intense driving modal piece with active percussion (typical from this publisher) as well as a melodic line which is passed around.
https://c-alanpublications.com/dark-dances/
Joyful Lily – Yukiko Nishimura
This piece is an ABA – but the A is slow and lyrical! It’s so cool! Texture and sonorities are always my favourite parts of this composer, Yukiko Nishimura’s writing. This would be an interesting piece to use with a Grade 9 experienced band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX-wnSlvzqw&t=2s
Pastel Sunset – Heather Hoefle
This lyrical piece involves the percussion constantly. It is melodic, with a clear climax point at its modulation point. Some trumpet endurance playing near the end, maybe not typical of a Grade 2.
https://randallstandridge.com/music-catalog/concert_band_music_2/Pastel%20Sunset
Inspiration Fanfare - Adrian Sims
This is an uplifting piece. It’s not really a traditional fanfare. It’s an opening concert selection for sure - but it has fun teachable things: syncopated/groove based backgrounds, independent melodic movement (broken up melodies) . I see it as one of those pieces to kick the year off with a combined senior band to have them hear their success right away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSAHa4L7a7g&t=73s
Escapade - Raymond Sifuentes
I’ve always loved these driving/rhythmic and slightly dramatic pieces - the kids have to not only COUNT properly, they really need to understand how their entrances fit into a broken-up puzzle. They need to be able to clearly articulate staccatos versus the 2 note slur patterns. The percussion parts are fun and abundant. Chroasticism is alive and well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66ny7CF51U
Morning Star - Katie O’Hara LaBrie
This is (overall) in B Flat, and it’s just a solid lyrical piece with relatively easy ranges, but with alot of stylistic consideration. It is a fair Grade 2 piece, perfect for a B200 festival entry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgsMKx3xpnI
Sparkling Light – David Gillingham
Ostinato driven piece which has an uplifting vibe. It’s rhythmic, tonnes of percussion effects, important mallet parts especially. Modulation is frequent and there’s interesting teaching moments here!
https://c-alanpublications.com/sparkling-light/
Grade 3:
Artesian Spring – Julie Giroux
In a way that only she can – here is a LYRICAL selection in a brisk 6/8!! Beautiful piece, need a strong pianist!!
https://www.girouxmusic.com/products/artesian-spring
On A Tear – Todd Stalter
The Todd Stalter sound from classics such as Counterbalance, Whirlybird, Critical Mass, the list goes on….. is BACK!! YESSSSS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soiUEzcp8U4
Pacific Spirit – Robert Buckley
Fanfare style work with a few solos in the slow middle section. There are smaller scored/chamber like sections in this piece. Sweeping modulated arrivals happen frequently which is typical for this composer’s cinematic style of writing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aab24x-AQy0
Teeth of the Mechanism – John Mackey
In typical Mackey form…There is a great deal of “trudging” through a single tempo piece explores extreme sounds but within reasonable registers. If you ever played his piece called “SNARL” – this one is the perfect next choice!
https://www.johnmackey.com/music/teeth-of-the-mechanism/
Grade 3.5 and up
Erin Go Bragh: Ireland forever - Trad arr Brant Karrick (Grade 3.5)
This is a cool senior band winter concert piece. Big flute solo at the beginning, beautiful middle movement (the texture especially). And, there’s a tonne of teaching all over the place, starting with passages and fingering combinations in almost every instrument which are not used every day...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRx26hrvOCo
Ready Set Go – Katahj Copley (Grade 3.5-4)
This is a very unique layered piece with a lot of SOUND and A LOT TO DO for everyone in the band. It’s expensive though, lol. You can hear the composer’s influences through certain motivic references, particularly those of his Mentor, Omar Thomas.
https://murphymusicpress.com/products/cb4-1,404
Portrait – Peter Meechan (Grade 4)
A Beautiful, serene, meaningful, deep, and patient combination of layered sounds as a tribute.
https://meechanmusic.com/music/portrait/
Desert Overture Fanfare – Rossano Galante (Grade 4-4.5)
This is the token annual Rossano piece (cover graded as a 3.5 – nope). For those of you who love his writing and cinematic scoring (and you have the instrumentation to do it) – This one’s for you! It’s American sounding and themed, but once you’re over that, it’s lovely!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXX9zzUwd2A
Los Bailes Calientes – William Owens (Grade 4.5 - 5)
The piece has a lot going on technically, rhythmically and features a variety of soloists – intended to be a festive retrospective of Latin Dances Flamenco Salvaje, Rumba Lenta, Samba Divertida.
https://wingertjones.com/product/sbw2502-los-bailes-calientes-owens/
Cosmic Cliffs – Peter Meechan (Grade 6)
Best part about this piece is it’s drive, constant layering of sounds, and the evolution of complexity as the piece develops. The full band moments are HUGE. There is an underlaying intensity which feels like it is always building – if you are a fan of ISS flyover, Perpetua – and you have an advanced band – this is the next one for you. Just be ready to put in the time!
https://meechanmusic.com/music/cosmic-cliffs/
I WANT ALL OF YOUR BRASS PLAYERS TO CARRY THEIR MOUTHPIECES AROUND WITH THEM EVERYWHERE (DON'T LOSE THEM PLEASE)
It’s 2025. We have de-stigmatized everything, right?
NOPE.
Somehow, it’s still uncool to be walking home from school while buzzing around on your brass mouthpiece. Or in adult cases, in between appointments or idling in the car.
People look at us funny and they think we are playing with a “duck caller” or a “kazoo”. In the middle of the sidewalk. We’re calling ducks. Okay.
Here are the three (of the many) things which I try to encourage:
- “Sirens” (aka lip slurs on the mouthpiece only). Repeatedly switch between low-high-low, and high-low-high, each time increasing the interval and starting/finishing pitches. If you are walking somewhere, tempo it to your footsteps (4/4 common suggestion is 2 half notes and a whole note)
- Pitch imitation and root arpeggiating: You hear a car horn or someone’s cell phone ring? Find the pitch on your mouthpiece. Then, make that your root (or drop it an octave probably) and go for a 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 slur. When people over hear this one, they know you’re not calling ducks. I once got an applause (he clapped 2 times, it was weird, but okay) in the Sobey’s parking lot, I felt validated lol.
- Practice staccato. The short and quick tongue on the front of the articulation, and the three releases: tongue stop - air cut off - the letter "M" (closure of the lips)
This article will get too long if I keep going and we've already maxxed out our bandwidth on the new concert bands (I hope). Email or dm me anytime to chat about buzzing for brass!
OBA FESTIVAL STUFF AS OF SEPT 5th...
THE PROVINCIAL BAND FESTIVAL (CHINESE CULTURAL CENTRE SCARBOROUGH) IS OPENING REGISTRATION ON SEPTEMBER 29TH - JESS'S email is pbf@onband.ca for more info. WEBSITE FOR PBF
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THE GHMF - NEW REGISTRATION PROCESS AND ITS SO COOL
The Website is updated for 2026. ghmf.ca
EMAIL BLASTS STARTING SEPT 6, 2025, INSTAGRAM UPDATES (@goldenhorseshoemusicfestival)
REGISTRATION: **NEW** 2-step process.
Step 1 (starts in a few weeks): Fill in all of your forms completely online (ensemble info, contact info, school info , everything) , submit and save. you will receive a confirmation email with a link. SAVE THIS EMAIL
Step 2 (date TBD early October): Click the link in your confirmation email, and choose your days/times. **All of your ensemble/school/contact details will already be populated on the form from your first entry)
SHA(SHI)MELESS (as usual)
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The LOW BRASS and CLINICS studio is up and running! I do have a few openings for trombone students locally (schedule is likely Saturdays in South Etobicoke). Additionally (as always) I would love to work with you and your students in a large ensemble setting , if your board/protocols regarding guest speakers/artists allows that! References are available! Drop me a line any time.