SKU: CF.CPS240F

ISBN 9781491157879. UPC: 680160916474. 9 x 12 inches.

Composing this piece was an interesting process. A piece of a melody or an idea takes shape, and after writing it down, itas like planting a seed that starts to grow and develop. I got a snippet of a western idea and then thought of a monument in my hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia. The statue is called Madonna of the Trail. The history part of this piece started to take shape as I researched this statue. There are twelve of them located in twelve states where the Old Trail Road, or National Road, passes through. As the piece developed, I started to think about the travel of a pioneer woman and her family passing through various areas of our early country. The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast National road was realized in the early 1900s but was based on six trails that date back to the 1700s. After developing the introduction and theme to this concert band piece, the story began to take shape. The slower 3/4 section melody hints at Greensleeves (What Child Is This) which appropriately weaves itself into the mix. Finally heading further west into New Mexico, Arizona, and California, the melody takes on a Spanish flavor and returns to the main theme before its conclusion. Divisi parts that are optional can be utilized to add a richer sound. Feel free to experiment with octave changes in the woodwinds in the fuller sections, if students are comfortable playing up an octave. Always be aware of the musicality, blend, and especially legato playing when required.
Composing this piece was an interesting process. A piece of a melody or an idea takes shape, and after writing it down, it's like planting a seed that starts to grow and develop. I got a snippet of a western idea and then thought of a monument in my hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia. The statue is called Madonna of the Trail. The history part of this piece started to take shape as I researched this statue. There are twelve of them located in twelve states where the Old Trail Road, or National Road, passes through. As the piece developed, I started to think about the travel of a pioneer woman and her family passing through various areas of our early country. The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast National road was realized in the early 1900s but was based on six trails that date back to the 1700s. After developing the introduction and theme to this concert band piece, the story began to take shape. The slower 3/4 section melody hints at Greensleeves (What Child Is This) which appropriately weaves itself into the mix. Finally heading further west into New Mexico, Arizona, and California, the melody takes on a Spanish flavor and returns to the main theme before its conclusion. Divisi parts that are optional can be utilized to add a richer sound. Feel free to experiment with octave changes in the woodwinds in the fuller sections, if students are comfortable playing up an octave. Always be aware of the musicality, blend, and especially legato playing when required.
Composing this piece was an interesting process. A piece of a melody or an idea takes shape, and after writing it down, it’s like planting a seed that starts to grow and develop. I got a snippet of a western idea and then thought of a monument in my hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia.  The statue is called Madonna of the Trail. The history part of this piece started to take shape as I researched this statue. There are twelve of them located in twelve states where the Old Trail Road, or National Road, passes through.  As the piece developed, I started to think about the travel of a pioneer woman and her family passing through various areas of our early country.  The 3,000 mile coast-to-coast National road was realized in the early 1900s but was based on six trails that date back to the 1700s. After developing the introduction and theme to this concert band piece, the story began to take shape.  The slower 3/4 section melody hints at Greensleeves (What Child Is This) which appropriately weaves itself into the mix.  Finally heading further west into New Mexico, Arizona, and California, the melody takes on a Spanish flavor and returns to the main theme before its conclusion.  Divisi parts that are optional can be utilized to add a richer sound. Feel free to experiment with octave changes in the woodwinds in the fuller sections, if students are comfortable playing up an octave. Always be aware of the musicality, blend, and especially legato playing when required.

SKU: AP.42770

UPC: 038081485508. English.

Here is a terrific compilation of some of the very best from the popular Shorties series by Victor López. This collection contains 18 short, time-out length charts perfect for any occasion. Keyboard, electric bass, and drumset parts make these charts perfect for pep band too! Titles: All Star * Any Way You Want It * Batman Theme * Blitzkrieg Bop * Celebration * Conga * Dynamite * Gonna Fly Now * Gonna Make You Sweat * Heavy Action (Theme from Monday Night Football) * Hey! Baby! * Hips Don't Lie * Jungle Boogie * Shake, Rattle and Roll * Sing, Sing, Sing * The Star-Spangled Banner * Sweet Georgia Brown * We Are Family.

SKU: CF.YPS208F

ISBN 9781491152966. UPC: 680160910465.

A stunning and heart-wrenching composition based on the Jewish folk son Shlof, Mayn Kind. You can hear the emotional content pour out of this piece written in memory of an outstanding orchestra director. The piece beginnings with original material to set the tone, followed by a clarinet solo on the song. It then develops through a variety of different harmonic presentation before building to a nice key change and climatic moment. The piece ends as it began, but with a more hopeful tone. An amazing piece.
Sleep, My Child was commissioned by the Madison Middle School Band and Orchestra in Tampa, Florida, and is dedicated to the memory of their Director of Orchestras Kevin Frye. Director of Bands Chris Shultz championed the commissioning of this piece to honor Kevin after he passed away in December 2016. Mr. Frye was a beloved member of the staff at Madison Middle as well as the music community of Tampa and the state of Florida. I was a personal friend of Kevin’s. We were in several musical groups together when we were young that were formative to both of our musical careers. I also guest conducted his Madison Middle School Orchestra several times over the past four years. His musicianship, teaching skills and love for his students were exemplary.When taking on the challenge of writing a piece to honor Kevin’s legacy, Mr. Shultz and I decided to try and include several important aspects of Kevin’s life into the piece. Kevin was proudly Jewish, a fantastic trumpet player and loved Jazz. With that in mind, and after a lot of research, a Jewish folk song Shlof, Mayn Kind was selected as the basis for the piece, not to be religious, but to honor his faith and heritage. Plus it is a beautiful song, and I felt the title reflected the sentiment I was looking to express, which is of someone taking rest after a long battle with illness. Thus, a lullaby seemed appropriate.I also wanted to incorporate Jazz into the piece, but in a concert setting, so you will hear as the piece develops, the harmonies of the folk song expand into ones found more commonly in Jazz compositions. Not in a far out way, but in a subtle way to again honor this part of his life. For example the climactic moment of the piece at the fermata in m. 57 is a Dbmaj9#11 chord. It appropriately give the piece the angst that I was looking for at this moment in the piece, while honoring the importance of Jazz in Kevin’s musical life.The piece was also conceived to include both the Madison band and orchestra in the performance at the premiere. I wanted the pieces to work separately by the band and separately by the orchestra, but I also wanted them to be able to play the piece together to honor Kevin.The piece begins with original material designed to set the mood of the piece with a tempo/style marking of pensive, but also as material that I used as connective musical tissue between statements of the folk song.  After this introduction, the folk song is presented by a solo violin (or clarinet) with orchestral accompaniment in a simple straight forward presentation of the song. This is followed by a woodwind section statement of the folk song accompanied by muted trumpets. During this presentation the harmony starts to expand with more color notes in the chords. The low brass are added half way through this statement to add depth and lushness.The introductory material returns, but with some angry hits in the lower voices. This leads to a full ensemble state of new material that is used to transition to the climax of the piece, and to build tension. After the build, the piece modulates to a shortened statement of the folk song with more advanced harmonies and an active counter line in the violas, horns, saxes and first clarinets to further build the tension.  This tension is released at the fermata in m. 57, as mentioned above. After a thoughtful pause, the piece concludes with a completion of the folk song again with a solo violin (or clarinet) followed by a return of the introductory material to tie the piece together. The piece ends hopeful, with a solo trumpet (Kevin’s instrument) that is dissonant at first, but then resolves as if to say - everything will be OK! It has been my distinct honor to have been asked to write this piece in Kevin’s memory! I hope that in some small way the piece helps to bring comfort to his family, students, colleagues and to all those that knew him!–Larry ClarkLakeland, FL  2017.

SKU: CF.YPS239F

ISBN 9781491159620. UPC: 680160918218.

This piece is about a journey unlike any other in 2020. We have all been touched by the devastating effects of COVID-19, and we have seen friends, family, and many others succumb to it. For the people who are left behind this piece is dedicated to you, the brave warriors that have survived this pandemic. The piece is set in Eb major with a 4/4 time signature. The beginning starts off robust and full, with the tempo at quarter note= 150. Measure 25 presents many opportunities for shaping to move the melody and counter melody lines around as the ostinato is being played in the percussion and low brass. I wrote mm. 43-51 as a percussion feature. I felt in my eighteen years of experience as an educator that we always have plenty of percussionists! Double students on parts if you have way too many. Overall, this piece has many places for beautiful phrasing and shaping. You will need to assign the students places to breathe in order to achieve maximum effort from the group. I hope you enjoy my new piece The Brave Warrior.
This piece is about a journey unlike any other in 2020. We have all been touched by the devastating effects of COVID-19, and we have seen friends, family, and many others succumb to it. For the people who are left behind this piece is dedicated to you, the brave warriors that have survived this pandemic. The piece is set in Eb major with a 4/4 time signature. The beginning starts off robust and full, with the tempo at quarter note= 150. Measure 25 presents many opportunities for shaping to move the melody and counter melody lines around as the ostinato is being played in the percussion and low brass. I wrote mm. 43–51 as a “percussion” feature.  I felt in my eighteen years of experience as an educator that we always have plenty of percussionists! Double students on parts if you have way too many.  Overall, this piece has many places for beautiful phrasing and shaping. You will need to assign the students places to breathe in order to achieve maximum effort from the group.  I hope you enjoy my new piece The Brave Warrior.