Publisher Desc.  Performance Notes A Jolly Good March is intended for 1st-year bands. The music is based on the old tune For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, also known as The Bear Went Over the Mountain. The familiarity of this tune will be helpful in teaching young students with their first lessons in reading music. The music should be performed in a march-like style with a tempo deemed suitable by the director. Thank you for choosing this piece. I hope you and your students find it instructive and enjoyable. Sincerely, Joseph Compello About the Composer Joseph Compello discovered his love of music when, as a child, he saw the Centennial Celebration Parade in his hometown, Carbondale, Pennsylvania. After his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, he began studying Euphonium with Robert Kennick of the Baltimore Symphony. By the time he was an 11th grader at Patterson Park High School, his band director, Clarence Wroblewski, recommended Compello for a scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory Preparatory School. While studying there, he came to the attention of the conductor of the Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble, Dr. Richard L. Higgins, who invited him to be a regular member of his ensemble. Upon graduating from high school, Compello auditioned for the undergraduate course of musical studies at the Peabody Conservatory. Among the adjudicating panel was Peter Mennin the Conservatory's director. During his six year tenure with the Peabody Wind Ensemble, Compello performed all of the major repertoire for wind bands up to that time. After earning his undergraduate degree, and subsequently his Master's Degree from Towson University, Compello entered the teaching profession. From the very beginning of his 31 year career, he composed and arranged music to meet the specific skills of his students. In 1994, Andrew Balent, then editor of Carl Fischer's educational music division, began publishing many of Compello's classroomtested compositions. His debut publication was a march for beginning band titled Cadets on Parade. In 1996 his best-seller Rock to the Max, Mr. Sax earned him a regular spot on the Carl Fischer writing staff. In 1999, Larry Clark continued to publish Compello's music while encouraging him to expand his writing style. Now retired from teaching with over 180 published works to his credit, Compello is inaugurating Compellobandmusic.com. This site will feature instrumental music in all venues for every grade level. His music for young players is now a model for college curricular study by music education students. A master's thesis by Abel Borg entitled "The resourceful and engaging compositions for beginning band by Joseph Compello" is available at York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Compellois journey from school teacher to internationally published composer was recently chronicled in the Baltimore Sun. His ASCAP award winning music is now performed worldwide in venues ranging from school concerts to Carnegie Hall. 2020 will mark Compello's 26th year as a contributor to Carl Fischer's catalogue of music for young bands.