An instrumental arrangement of 'Best Day of My Life' by American Authors for violin quartet. Four parts suitable for early intermediate violinists, (lines 1 to 3), and an open string harmony for beginners (line 4). Excellent for a mixed ability group of young learners. The music is self-sufficient as a violin quartet but the backing track, as heard in the audio clip, includes piano and percussion and can be purchased separately.

This is a great string quartet arrangement of the American Authors classic which captures all of its energy and style. With its energetic cello line, interesting inner parts and melodies that get passed around the quartet, this arrangement is just a lot of fun to play. Quartets who get asked to play for weddings & other special events, will want this one to be on their repertoire list.
To see tons of other nice arrangements for strings, take a look at: Prudon String Ensembles Sheet Music.

ISBN 9781619114005. The American Mandolin Method is the new standard for mandolin instruction. Master teachers and performers of the mandolin, Brian Wicklund and Ben Winship have crafted Volume 2 of their series to be used both as a follow up to Volume 1 and for intermediate players who are already experienced with the mandolin. Using clear illustrations and lucid explanations, the authors review skills such as efficiently holding the mandolin, fretting, picking technique and creating good tone. Students learn techniques such as slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, bar chords, chop chords and 7th chords while progressing step-by-step through over two dozen universally played jam tunes. The very listenable, high quality, extended length online audio recording available with the book allows students to play along with the tunes to simulate jamming. Also included are folded scale exercises, and common sense tips from the authors' long experience teaching and performing. Includes access to online audio.

An American in Valencia was commissioned by the United States Army Band ?Pershing?s Own? in Washington, DC in 1999. The Premiere Performance was May 22, 1999 at the Casa de Cultura in L?Alcudia (Valencia), Spain by Rafael Sanz-Espirt conducting La Filharmonica Band. Woodrow English, Principal Trumpet the U. S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" as was the soloist.

The piece is in three movements in a Spanish style suggesting the grand gesture of Bull fighting.The trumpet soloist portrays a toreador with the splendor of the corrida. The first movement represents theentrance of the toreador with all of the fanfare and showmanship as he bows to the audience. The second movement is a love song in a waltz tempo. The third movement starts with the raging bull coming out ofit?s corral, ready for the fight. The trumpet soloist is able to contain the bull with dashing melodic figures and a cadenza leading to the final bow in victory.

An American in Valencia was awarded Finalist in the Band Composition Competition of the American Prize in 2017. One of only two Concertos with Band awarded that year. It is recorded on Mark Records with Rafael Sanz-Espirt conducting La Filharmonica Band. Woodrow English is the soloist.

Gregory Fritze is a prize-winning composer and Fulbright Scholar, as well as an active performer and conductor. He recently retired from Berklee College of Music where he was Professor and Chair of Composition, serving on the faculty from 1979 to 2016. He has written over ninety compositions for orchestra, band, chamber ensembles and soloists. He has won over fifty composition awards both nationally and internationally, including First Prize in the 1st WASBE (World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles) International Composition Contest 2017, First Prize Winner of Reneé Fisher Composition Prize, First Prize Winner in Concurso Bienal de Composición de Musica para Banda, Ciudad de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain), Menzione d?Onore (highest award given) of the Mario Bernardo Angelo-Comneno International Music Competition by the Accademia Angelica Costantiniana Arti E Scienze (Italy), First Prize in 1991 TUBA International Etude Composition Competition, the IBLA Grand Prize (Italy), several awards from The American Prize, Composition Awards from Standard Awards Panel of American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers and many others. His compositions include works published by several publishers in the United States, South America and Europe and have been performed extensively throughout the world.

He has been a frequent traveler to Spain since 1993 and has promoted compositions by Spanish composers around the world. He is the only composer who has been commissioned six times by Spanish bands for Certamen competitions, with each band winning first prize.

He has thirty-three compositions commercially recorded on Albany Records, MSR Classics, Crystal Records, Mark Records and others. He has been a guest lecturer, conductor and performer at many colleges, universities and music festivals in the United States, Canada, Japan, South America and Europe. He was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1954 and has Composition degrees from the Boston Conservatory and Indiana University. He now resides in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida.