Dan Gelber

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William Byrd is one of the most famous English composers and was one of the most famous composers of the Renaissance Period. In addition to composing, he was an accomplished singer and organist. He was a champion of the English madrigal and all other forms of Renaissance music and composed almost 500 pieces. His music was studied worldwide and influenced composers of Western music in England and Europe. Byrd and the Earl of Oxford were friends, and the piece might have been a gift, but the exact beginnings of the march are not known.

The Earl of Oxford's March

Multiple Percussion Ensemble

This piece is all about spies and the Soca style of music. Soca has its roots in Calypso music from Trinidad and Tobago but also has influences from west Africa and India. It is popular in music written for steel drum bands and is usually a lively or quicker tempo than other Latin/Cuban patterns. This piece is mostly in a minor key so there are accidentals to be careful of. The percussion and drumset players can explore these cool Latin grooves to expand their knowledge of the styles.

Undercover Soca

This piece is the first movement of Debussy's piano work Estampes, written in 1903. The three-movement work is often described as impressionistic, a term borrowed from the art of painting. Interestingly, Debussy never considered himself an impressionistic composer. Pagodes evokes gamelan music, which Debussy was exposed to at the 1889 Paris World Conference Exhibition. It uses several pentatonic scales and pedal tones, hallmarks of Debussy's developing harmonic style.

Estampes

The origins of this beloved holiday carol are unclear, but the popular version is based on a traditional English song. Warrell, a composer and organist, arranged the tune for his choir as a 4 part arrangement in 1935, and it was published later that year. This arrangement is in a jazz style and provides young performers with an opportunity to learn the swing style of writing and playing. The drumset player gets some solo work, and each keyboard member of the ensemble gets to play the melody. This surely will become a holiday concert favorite!

We Wish You a Swingin Merry Christmas

This piece is from Tchaikovsky's ballet music from "The Nutcracker Suite," written in 1892. Although not initially successful, it has become a beloved holiday treat and features some of Tchaikovsky's most famous tunes. This dance from Act 2 of the ballet was originally titled "Dance of the Mirlitons," an old type of toy flute similar to a kazoo, as it is hummed on and has no fingerings. It is also a type of pastry shaped like a flute, so there could be a double meaning to the title. This arrangement features three vibraphones and a glockenspiel on the harmonized melody line. If three vibraphones are not available, a second glockenspiel, crotales, or even a synth can play any of the vibraphone parts.

Dance of the Reed Pipes

This music comes from Tchaikovsky's great ballet Swan Lake written in 1876. Based on Russian and German folk tales, the ballet was initially a flop but has become one of the most famous ballets in music history. This short arrangement displays Tchaikovsky's masterful touch and beautiful use of orchestral colors. This arrangement fades away, as the little swans float away offstage.

Dance of the Swans

This piece is an original composition that uses the percussion ensemble as a symphonic orchestra, with the keyboards as the strings, woodwinds, and brass, and a percussion section. The piece begins with a triumphal introduction with timpani interludes, which is followed by a transition into a double-time swing section in E minor and D minor. There are melodic riffs and themes punctuated and doubled in the percussion. Another transition follows as the music melts into a medium rock section in Bb major and minor. The double-time jazz section returns with a coda, and the piece ends with a rousing drum set solo with stacking fourths. If a bass player is available, they can easily be added and double the Marimba 3 part. All the mallet players and percussion section have plenty of challenging parts and various jazz grooves to challenge even the advanced players.

Symphonic Movement For Percussion

This traditional English country dance tune can be dated back to 1728 when it first appeared in an opera, the "Quaker's Opera". Cecil Sharp transcribed the tune in 1906, and it has been used and reorchestrated several times. Grainger's famous piano version dates to 1918, and he later reorchestrated his piano version for school bands and orchestras.

Country Gardens

Keyboard Percussion Duet

This tune is now a New Orleans Jazz standard, but it began as an African hymn or spiritual. The first known recording of this tune was in 1923, and Louis Armstrong created a classic in 1938. This arrangement is an excellent jump-off for young players learning 2/2 time and swing articulations. The drum set player gets a solo, too. This is the perfect percussion ensemble for Mardi Gras season!

When The Saints Go Marching In

The Ukrainian Bell Carol, also called Carol of the Bells, is a popular Christmas tune based on a Ukrainian New Year's song. It was originally written in 1914 and English lyrics were added in 1936. The first performance of the carol was in 1916 at Kyiv University. Its U.S. premiere was in 1922 at Carnegie Hall. The tune has been used for many ensembles of varying styles including pop, jazz, and classical music.

Ukrainian Bell Carol

This holiday favorite began as a poem by Emily Huntington Miller in 1865. The music is attributed to J.R. Murray and was first published in 1874. In 1949 additional music  and lyrics were added for a version by Ray Smith and later for a recording by the Ames Brothers. This arrangement is in a swing style to give your young players a taste of a jazz style. The Marimba 2 part can be doubled by a bass player. The Timpani and Drum Set get a little solo window to lend their sounds to the piece which will soon become a holiday concert favorite.

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

This arrangement uses three famous holiday carols: Silent Night, O Come Emmanuel, and Hark the Herald Angels. This is an excellent first ensemble for your young percussionists. The keyboard players all get to play the melody and be the accompaniment. The percussion section of five parts gets to learn their new techniques as well as keep the pulse of the ensemble and balance their part to the melody. Enjoy a Trio of Carols.

A Trio of Carols

This piece is the first movement of Mozart's Serenade #13 written in 1787 but was published after his death. Serenades were very popular in Mozart's time in Vienna and were often performed outside in parks as a light chamber music style. Many musicians believe that this melody is perhaps Mozart's most popular.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

The Toreador March is a popular aria from the French opera Carmen by Bizet. It was first performed in 1875. Carmen has become one of the world's most famous and frequently performed operas, although Bizet died after only its 33rd performance. In the opera, this aria is sung by the bullfighter or toreador as he relates his stories from the ring and past bullfights. It is in a march style, portraying the toreador as he enters the ring to the roaring crowd.

Toreador March

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This collection of 15 snare drum solos is a welcome addition to the libraries of all middle school teachers. These solos are progressive, beginning with first-year players and advancing to advanced middle school players or young high schoolers. Each solo adds a new pattern or rhythm and is connected with the standard curriculum progression of percussion class. Each solo is a standalone piece and can be used for performance or sight-reading purposes for older players. Each tempo marking is perfect for optimum performance. A play-along MP3 is available from the composer free of charge.

15 Festival Solos for The Young Snare Drummer

Snare Drum Book

This piece is programmatic as it evokes the spirit of the Conquistadors of old Spain. Conquistadors were soldiers/sailors of the Spanish Kingdom who sailed to the New World to explore and colonize the people and tribes they found. There are two themes in the piece. The first in A minor might depict the swashbuckling explorers on their fortified ships sailing through rough seas towards their goal. The second theme in A Major with a key change depicts the conquistadors as they return home and enjoy a night on the town. There are some percussion solos and a break strain, followed by a return to the main theme and a rousing coda. The Spanish flavor of the music can be enhanced if you have some castanets!

Conquistador!

This piece could be a graduation assignment for middle school players. It challenges young players on the basics: rhythms, stroke types, dynamics, meter changes, tempo change, and solo/background playing. All players get a solo to shine. And with all the percussion education in this piece, it will satisfy the crowd!

Drum Trio No. 2

Multiple Percussion Trio

The Radetzky March is a concert march written in 1848 by Johann Strauss Sr., the father of the "Waltz King," his son Johann Strauss Jr.  It was written in Vienna to honor the victory over Italian forces at the battle of Custoza, led by Field Marshal Joseph Radetzsky. The march has overcome its military background, is now a symbol of unity in Austria. It became famous in performances in the New Year's Day Concert, beginning in 1946.

Radetsky March

Sakura is a popular folk tune from Japan that symbolizes the beauty and importance of the cherry blossoms found there. This arrangement uses the key of Bb but is in a traditional Asian mode, so be careful of accidentals. The timpani and percussion get a small solo to shine and add their texture to the piece. The ending fades away as the listener continues their walk through an imagined garden.

Sakura

Pachelbel's Canon in D is one of the most famous pieces in the Classical music repertoire. The exact date of publication is not known but it is probably around 1840, a few centuries after it was written. Pachelbel was a contemporary of Bach, and Bach stated that he studied Pachelbel's works as textbook writing in the Baroque style. Originally written for three violins and basso continuo, this piece has been reorchestrated several times for various ensembles. This piece was probably written for a chamber ensemble although Pachelbel wrote many pieces for the church as well. The canon is built on an ostinato bass pattern, which, at the time, was called a chaconne or passacaglia.

Canon in D

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