Introduction
I understand how crucial the marching band season is to your overall band program. For many students, it’s the highlight of their year. Their success, or lack thereof, shapes their perception of their band experience and sets the tone for your program’s culture and its future trajectory.
It can be incredibly disheartening when a show doesn’t live up to expectations. I’ve experienced this firsthand during my nine-year tenure as a director at Cedar Park High School in Austin, Texas. Seeing fellow directors grapple with disappointment when their show doesn’t hit the mark due to factors beyond their control is genuinely distressing. The sting is particularly sharp when designers fail to deliver top-notch work, communicate ineffectively, or miss deadlines.
The situation becomes even more complex when funding comes into play. With limited resources, creating a spectacular marching band show can be a daunting task. Relying on pre-made music doesn’t always cater to your band’s unique needs!
This situation is unjust to you, your community, and most importantly, your students. As someone who has walked in your shoes, I am committed to delivering my best work for every band because you truly deserve it.
Picking Previously Commissioned Music
A great solution, outside of commissioning a brand new arrangement for your band (which often can be time and money intensive), is to pick music from a catalog that’s already written! By doing so, you save valuable time and money, and can often get an even better result.
Peruse my marching band shows to find a show you like! Or, select individual arrangements from different shows with which you’d like to create your own unique show. Then, I’ll custom-tailor each piece to perfectly fit your band, making adjustments so, in the end, you’ll have your own new, custom arrangement.
By selecting from my previously commissioned marching band shows, you’ll save money, time, and the headaches associated from starting from scratch!
What makes my marching band shows different?
Drawing from my experience as a band director, my educational background, and active involvement in the marching arts…
Music is composed to align seamlessly with the band’s skill level. To put it simply, if I wouldn’t want to teach it, I won’t write it! The scores and parts come to you already “pre-cleaned”, so your students can sound great from the very first read!
Music is written with fundamental concepts in mind and instrument-specific challenges considered. The “little” details make the “big difference”. Things like choosing keys that put students in good ranges, and on more “in-tune” notes. Things like avoiding the throat tones on clarinets. Things like writing woodwind (and brass) technique that, while might sound challenging, are written to use very playable fingerings. Things like considering the lengths of phrases played, and how often students need to breathe!
Music is always delivered on time. No exceptions. The last thing you need is the stress of waiting on your show. You’re already spinning enough plates as it is!
Music will be in your hands with plenty of time for the rest of your design team to do their thing. Once you have the core of your musical product, you can share it with the rest of your design team at an early stage. As the marching arts increasingly prioritize the visual coordination of your show, it is now more important than ever to ensure your visual designers are set up for success!
When you choose to commission an arrangement from me, I’ll be here to make it right for you – no matter what. From the moment your idea is born until the final performance, I’ll be by your side to adjust, tweak, help, suggest, and edit your musical program. Together, we’ll strive for maximum achievement and effectiveness.
How It Works
Pick your music! Choose a complete show or mix-and-match movements from different shows to create the marching band show that best suits your vision! Let me know what you’re interested in, and I’d be delighted to provide you with perusal scores so you can have a closer look!
Reserve your music! Reach out to me to let me know what you’re looking for! I’ll make sure your marching band show is available in your region. Then, we’ll work together to get the ball rolling on payments, copyright, and more.
Tell me about your band! I will ask you a variety of questions about your band to better understand how I can modify and adapt your music to suit your ensemble. I will specifically inquire about changing soloists, instrumentation, and difficulty during key moments.
Relax! Once licenses are obtained and payments are handled, I’ll dive in and fine-tune your arrangements to ensure they’re a perfect fit for your marching band!
Conclusion
In conclusion, crafting shows using previously commissioned music arrangements can save you time and money, and lead to even greater success! By discussing potential changes in soloists, instrumentation, and difficulty levels at crucial junctures, you’re poised to elevate your ensemble’s performance to new heights.
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