Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. A spectacular dive via an extended chromatic scale immediately submerges us in a charged and somewhat archaic-feeling atmosphere. Trumpets, horns and trombones resound in rhythmic patterns, buttressed by restless motifs in the percussion. A second theme, in the woodwinds, begins much calmer but is quickly pushed aside by that same brass offensive. This introduction is the musical expression of the sometimes tumultuous early history of the town of Peer in Belgium. It closes with a D scale played over two octaves and repeated three times, symbolizing the church steeples that dominate the townscape. Peer has the credentials of a town, and people should know about it. There followsa rhythmic, turbulent passage: in the course of history, Peer has not been spared the ravages of war, arson, occupation, epidemic and other evils. In contrast, a slow, pastoral, lyrical part expresses the periods of peace and prosperity the town has known, as well as the serene geographic setting that still characterizes the place. Various instruments in groups are developed in solo style while the accompaniment displays vast, painterly images of sound. Now and then an exotic intonation is heard: a variety of peoples and cultures have left their mark on the town. This episode of tranquility and peacefulness comes to a sudden end when, via a surprising, almost chaotic transitional passage, we are in effect transported back to our own time. A hopeful, festive march expresses the confidence in the future that the Royal Concert Band of Peer exudes. This confidence is wholly justified: under the direction of conductor Willy Fransen, the 95 members of the concert band have experienced an extended period of good fortune, and the 75 musicians of the youth band - and the 45 little musicians of the mini-band - are involved in thriving operations. / Niveau : 6 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

\'A Cry against Facism\'. Par DE MEIJ JOHAN. The Painted Bird, the controversial novel by Jerzy Kosinski (1933-1991), tells the story of a Jewish boy during World War II. For his safety, the child was sent to the Polish countryside by his parents. The title refers to a barbaric tradition among Polish farmers. The wings of a captured bird were painted in bright colors, after which the animal was released. Almost immediately, the bird was attacked and pecked to death by its peers. The boy underwent the same fate. Wherever he wandered, the local rural people cruelly mistreated him because of his distinctly different appearance. However, he survives the horrors and is reunited with his parents after the war. To escape the yoke of the Soviet occupation in his country, the Polish-Jewish Kosinski emigrated with counterfeit papers to the United States in 1957, where he became an American citizen in 1965. His landmark novel The Painted Bird was translated into thirty languages and sold millions of copies. Plagued by illness and accusations of betraying his country and plagiarism the writer ended his life in 1991. / Date parution : 2022-07-30/ Répertoire / Concert Band/Harmonie

Par COURT DOUGLAS. Conductors of beginning bands are always looking for fresh material that will be fun for the band while the students continue sharpening their playing skills. You and your students will certainly have a great time with this new Grade 1 piece by Douglas Court. Cast in a relaxed “island” style, it’s a great way to help young musicians understand the need for smooth tonguing and playing phrases that connect numerous notes with a continuous air stream. With Seaside Calypso in the folders you can continue teaching while you prepare for the concert. Easy-goin’! / Niveau : 1 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par COURT DOUGLAS. Conductors of beginning bands are always looking for fresh material that will be fun for the band while the students continue sharpening their playing skills. You and your students will certainly have a great time with this new Grade 1 piece by Douglas Court. Cast in a relaxed “island” style, it’s a great way to help young musicians understand the need for smooth tonguing and playing phrases that connect numerous notes with a continuous air stream. With Seaside Calypso in the folders you can continue teaching while you prepare for the concert. Easy-goin’! / Niveau : 1 / Musique légère originale / Répertoire / Concert Band

Par VAN DER ROOST JAN. Volcano is a work commissioned by the Municipal Wind Orchestra of Endingen in Germany. The three creative impulses which provided the basis for this symphonic poem are inspired by outside sources. They are closed linked with the history of the Orchestra and the region in which it performs. In this region is the Kaiserstuhl, an enormous rock situated on the edge of the Black Forest. Volcano is a stimulating, lyrical, brilliant and festive work. / Niveau : 5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band

Par BULLA STEPHEN. Spirited rhythms underpin three great Old West songs in Stephen Bulla’s Along Came the Cowboys. You’ll find a bonanza of great teaching tools in this Western extravaganza: phrase extensions, style contrasts, dynamic and articulation considerations, rhythmic counterpoint, and much more. Your young musicians will really enjoy playing music that employs the types of mechanisms standardised by decades of cowboy movie underscoring. This is something your students can definitely get into! What a great supporting assignment to have your students try to find examples of comparable musical treatments on their movie videos and DVDs. / Niveau : 2.5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par HOSAY JAMES L.. If you seek truly dramatic music, look to opera. Opera has been enormously influential on Classical, Popular, and Film and Television music over the years. James L. Hosay’s new intermediate level piece, OPERATICA, incorporates the important elements of Opera and Classical music to bring exhilarating drama to the concert band stage. Style and technical considerations make this a rich learning experience for the band. Add in the dimension of music history by studying Opera and Classical music, and you have a wonderful teaching tool! The grand theme explores a multitude of colors as it twists and turns its way through opera-style development and variation. Whether for formal, festival, or spring concert use, you will find this to be a thrilling addition to your library. Opulent! / Niveau : 3 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par BULLA STEPHEN. Spirited rhythmic underpinnings support three great Old West songs in Stephen Bulla’s ALONG CAME THE COWBOYS. You’ll find a bonanza of great teaching tools in this Western extravaganza: phrase extensions, style contrasts, dynamic and articulation considerations, rhythmic counterpoint, and much more. Your young musicians will really enjoy playing music that employs the types of mechanisms standardized by decades of cowboy movie underscoring. This is something your students can definitely get into! What a great supporting assignment to have your students try to find examples of comparable musical treatments on their movie videos and DVDs. Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out! / Niveau : 2.5 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band ou Harmonie

Par HANNICKEL MIKE. Cross-curricular connection at its best! Your music students can bring Don Quixote’s faithful but ramshackle horse Rozinante to life with this delightful new concert band piece by young band specialist Mike Hannickel. You will find lots of articulation and dynamic contrasts, along with other important teaching considerations. Don Quixote is one of the world’s great comic heroes. Shouldn’t his horse get a little credit too? / Niveau : 2 / Pièce de concert / Répertoire / Concert Band