Par HESS NIGEL. Chansons de Normandie was commissioned by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and premiered on BBC Radio 2 as part of their D-Day broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall on June 6th, 2014. This 4 minute piece is based on three traditional Normandy folk songs: Les Metamorphoses, Le marchand de velours and Le corselet. An ideal concert opener, the work is in a lively dance tempo with suggestions of Renaissance dance music./ Répertoire / Orchestre à Vent

A 10-minute work which follows the journey of the Thames from its origins as a few drops of water in Wiltshire to the point where it meets the open sea. Along the way Hess draws upon many musical links along the Thames such as an old Wiltshire melody morris dancing in Oxfordshire boating songs from Berkshire.With such rich and diverse sources of music across several counties and centuries this has quite understandably become one of Hess's most popular wind band works to date.

African Dances is a continuous work for solo clarinet and wind ensemble consisting of five individual sections. The basis for the piece is the clarinet's construction from the wood of the African blackwood tree and its subsequent development into the instrument we know today. Each movement draws on different aspects of Pan-African music ranging from the styles and forms of the African choral tradition through to the complex cross-rhythms and patterns that characterise so much of the music of Africa.

Malcolm Arnold's 'Clarinet Concerto No. 2 Op. 115' was dedicated to Benny Goodman and first performed by him as part of the 'Red Rocks Music Festival' with the Denver Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brian Priestman on 17 August 1974. The third movement known affectionately as 'The Pre-Goodman Rag' is an outrageous ragtime parody with a hauntingly wistful middle section. The work has now been made more widely available in this transcription for wind band. This version conmtains full score and parts.

Malcolm Arnold's Clarinet Concerto No.2 Op.115 was dedicated to Benny Goodman and first performed by him as part of the Red Rocks Music Festival with the Denver Symphony Orchestra conducted by Brian Priestman on 17 August 1974. The third movement known affectionately as The Pre-Goodman Rag is an outrageous ragtime parody with a hauntingly wistful middle section. The work has now been made more widely available in this transcription for wind band.

Mixed Bag No. 6-Graham Lyons’s lively mind is apparent in this arrangement of Christmas carols for wind ensemble created to mixed-ability ensembles to make music together. Part I is the most demanding while Parts 2 and 3 are more simplified. Then there are ‘filler’ parts for beginning musicians. The parts can be doubled however your needs and tastes desire. The sheet music includes a score and double sets of parts and is sure to be a concert favourite includingmelodies of The Wassail Song The Holly and The Ivy Away in a Manger The Coventry Carol and Unto Us A Boy Is Born.Graham Lyons is something of a polymath which is not that unusual among musicians. Originally a pianist heswitched to clarinet when he was inspired by Benny Goodman but he also plays jazz bassoon. Lyons has performed with Orchestras and ensembles throughout the world both in live performance and on broadcasts and recordings. Hehas written a book on Soviet international policy. If you or your students began your clarinet career on a Clarineo a scaled-down instrument appropriate for younger students then you have Lyons to thank as he is its inventor.

De l'une des comédies musicales de l'historique de tous les temps, Voici un morceau de concert exceptionnel basé sur un des airs les plus connus de l'émission. Cet arrangement est authentiquement adapté de la partition originale de Bernstein encore assez jouable à son grand avec la plupart des bandes. / Ensemble A Vent

While teaching in India composer Lindsay Boyd became acquainted with the fundamentals of Northern Hindustani music. The result is this intriguingly unique work for wind band that incorporates distinctive sounds of India.The ?drone? sound of the tambura is available as a free download online or may be substituted with a marimba. The vocal chanting in the piece is a representation of the syllables used by a tabla player when learning to play this exotic drum.This is a wonderful piece for expanding the musical horizons of your players and audience.