First Impressions

SKU: KJ.JZB384

UPC: 8402701959.

First Impressions draws inspiration from such classic albums as Miles Davis's So What and John Coltrane's Impressions. Use this chart to introduce your students to the relaxed swing feeling of an important era of jazz history. Expert scoring enables your horns and rhythm section to achieve the dynamic balance, clarity, and bounce that are essential to the style. Flexible orchestration allows it to be played by as few as 9 players. Additionally, everyone in the ensemble has an opportunity to improvise in the open solo section, and the set includes two suggested solos and a CD with a solo practice track, to facilitate successful improvisation.

About Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method

The Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method is designed to help both you and your jazz ensemble students explore the world of jazz through easy-to-use Rhythm Studies, Improvisation Studies, Instrument Specific Exercises, and full ensemble jazz charts. The approach is non-theoretical and aurally based. Each part book comes with an accompaniment CD, so like every great jazz player throughout history, students learn to play jazz by listening!

SKU: HL.265678

14.5x10.0x0.4 inches.

Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Impressions for prepared harpsichord. Written for Gudrun Oskarsdottir. The first performance was given on 30 January 2016 at Harpa Centre, Reykjavik, Iceland.

Northumberland Impressions (Op. 42a) is a suite for solo Oboe with Piano accompaniment. It was written by Alan Bush in 1953, and first performed in the same year by the oboist Joy Boughton with the composer accompanying on the Piano. It is scored in three movements: Prelude - Lament - Dance

SKU: LO.60-1194H

UPC: 000308071887.

A beautiful jazz chorale sets the stage for this straight-ahead chart. As you might guess from the title, the main part of this tune and the solo section are based on the two minor chords that Coltrane used in his classic modal composition Impressions. The 32-bar AABA structure of the original has been compressed to 16 bars to make it easier for younger players.

SKU: CF.CM9714

ISBN 9781491160329. UPC: 680160918904. Key: F major. English. Robert Frost.

About the work ... Few American poems are as well known as The Road Not Taken. Robert Frost, the author, is an international icon, not unlike Pablo Picasso, Winston Churchill or Mark Twain in their own disciplines.The poem is full of contradictions and quirks of form and structure. Perhaps that illusiveness is part of the poem's intrigue. But beyond all of the literary devices that only a few scholars may fully appreciate, this poem has taken on a sort of fanfare for the common person credo - a challenge to individualism, stepping out on one's own, and breaking the mold out of sheer determination if nothing else. Frost connects to the core of the human spirit in just a few stanzas using the analogy of a fork in a road. The message super cedes geography, culture, race or creed. Rather, it is part of the DNA of most every person on the planet - the inner desire to feel empowered to create one's own destiny, to forge a road not taken, and ultimately in doing so, to make a difference. Rehearsal notes ... Research strongly suggests that there is a direct connection between the first rehearsal and the performance. First impressions last. I find it helpful to immediately lock three concepts into place - mechanics (notes/rhythms), text/phrasing (intent and motivation) and color (timbre). Performers need to think musically from the first reading forward (first impression). The cello is very much a collaborative instrument in this work, and should be located in front of the ensemble (not to side). Lastly, let the text speak. The simplest melodic lines are often the most exposed. Keep the voices clear and transparent, floating over the top in softer passages, and singing with vibrancy and forward focus throughout. Z. Randall Stroope A definitive recording was made by the New American Voices, with Randall conducting. This can be found on Spotify, YouTube, his website (www.zrstroope), and other social media. About the composer ... Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. His composition teachers were Normand Lockwood and Cecil Effinger, both students of the Nadia Boulanger, the famous French teacher (and student of Gabriel Faure). He is the artistic director of two international summer music festivals, is an Honorary Member of the National Association of Italian Choral Directors, and has conducted in 25 countries. He has directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, and is a frequent conductor at other prestigious concert venues. Randall has 190 published works, and his music can be heard on Spotify, YouTube and other platforms, including his website (www.zrstroope.com).
A bout the work ...Few American poems are as well known as The Road Not Taken. Robert Frost, the author, is an international icon, not unlike Pablo Picasso, Winston Churchill or Mark Twain in their own disciplines.The poem is full of contradictions and quirks of form and structure. Perhaps that illusiveness is part of the poem's intrigue. But beyond all of the literary devices that only a few scholars may fully appreciate, this poem has taken on a sort of fanfare for the common person credo - a challenge to individualism, stepping out on one's own, and breaking the mold out of sheer determination if nothing else. Frost connects to the core of the human spirit in just a few stanzas using the analogy of a fork in a road. The message super cedes geography, culture, race or creed. Rather, it is part of the DNA of most every person on the planet - the inner desire to feel empowered to create one's own destiny, to forge a road not taken, and ultimately in doing so, to make a difference.Rehearsal notes ...Research strongly suggests that there is a direct connection between the first rehearsal and the performance. First impressions last. I find it helpful to immediately lock three concepts into place - mechanics (notes/rhythms), text/phrasing (intent and motivation) and color (timbre). Performers need to think musically from the first reading forward (first impression). The cello is very much a collaborative instrument in this work, and should be located in front of the ensemble (not to side). Lastly, let the text speak. The simplest melodic lines are often the most exposed. Keep the voices clear and transparent, floating over the top in softer passages, and singing with vibrancy and forward focus throughout.Z. Randall StroopeA definitive recording was made by the New American Voices, with Randall conducting. This can be found on Spotify, YouTube, his website (www.zrstroope), and other social media.About the composer ...Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. His composition teachers were Normand Lockwood and Cecil Effinger, both students of the Nadia Boulanger, the famous French teacher (and student of Gabriel Fauré). He is the artistic director of two international summer music festivals, is an Honorary Member of the National Association of Italian Choral Directors, and has conducted in 25 countries. He has directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, and is a frequent conductor at other prestigious concert venues. Randall has 190 published works, and his music can be heard on Spotify, YouTube and other platforms, including his website (www.zrstroope.com).

SKU: PR.114423500

ISBN 9781491137758. UPC: 680160691531.

Commi ssioned by The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program, IMPRESSIONS FROM THE CHINESE ZODIAC is a suite of three characteristic pieces within reach of advanced pre-college saxophonists, and introducing advanced techniques. The work is equally satisfying and impressive for top-level performers. The movements are titled:1. Rooster Singing Out in the Morning2. Monkey Jumping Around in the Forest3. Tiger Walking Down from the Mountain.
Commissioned by The Juilliard School for Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, Impressions from the Chinese Zodiac was composed for any size saxophone in 2022. It consists of three independent movements featuring different musical characteristics with various performing techniques. The inspiration for the music came from impressions of three animal signs (rooster, monkey, and tiger), from the twelve in the Chinese Zodiac.The first piece begins with a repeated phrase imitating a rooster’s loud singing in the morning; the pitch with fluttertongue sounds like the noise from the rooster’s throat), followed by phrases of a pentatonic melody drawn from The Sun Is Rising With Our Joy, a Chinese folk song from Sichuan province. There are descending passages, simulating the dropping-down sound of the singing. Each passage is different from others, each of which should be played accurately and smoothly. The melody is moved up a step with variation, followed by an echo of the rooster singing at the end of the piece. Now the sky is bright, so the rooster call returns up four scale steps!The second piece includes two Chinese folk songs: Thinking of My Darling (from Shanxi province) and Guessing (from Yunnan province). Both songs have large interval skips spanning different registers, as well as microtonal intervals in their original singing, which show the characteristics of the regional musical languages respectively. The tone colors should be matched when registers are changed. The microtonal pitches (quarter-tone flat or three-quarter-tone flat) may be done by bending the tone with one’s lips. The image is the monkey jumping around lively, and the music is played humorously. The high and long pitch with a yelling-down effect at the end of the piece brings the music to an exciting peak.The third piece features the strong and brave tiger, with accented tones in the lowest register. The first 3-pitch motive is developed throughout the piece, while peristaltic chromatic material is formed in various shapes and directions, to show the gestures of a mighty and fierce image.Getting accustomed to special fingerings for the chromatic passages and trills, along with precisely notated articulations, and the techniques of tongue slap and key clicks, are the basic goals to achieve in this piece.

SKU: HL.44013263

UPC: 888680902995.

Bliss : Impressions of a Village is a spectacular test piece by one of the most renowned brass band composers in Holland, Jacob de Haan. It contains three impressions of a village in the beautiful Brabant province in the Netherlands. The first movement is in a very classical style, which captures the village's history appropriately. The entire band joins in as the small river approaches an ancient castle. The third movement contains lots of interesting rhythms portraying the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the village.

SKU: SU.28120380

Nine piano impressions after fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen - composed in 1990 in Moscow - six impressions recorded for Alla's first CD, Farewell RussiaPiano Duration: 22' Composed: 2003 Published by: Alla Pavlova.

SKU: CF.CM9750

ISBN 9781491162385. UPC: 680160921133. Key: F major. English. Robert Frost.

About the workFew American poems are as well known as The Road Not Taken. Robert Frost, the author, is an international icon, not unlike Pablo Picasso, Winston Churchill or Mark Twain in their own disciplines. The poem is full of contradictions and quirks of form and structure. Perhaps that illusiveness is part of the poem's intrigue. But beyond all of the literary devices that only a few scholars may fully appreciate, this poem has taken on a sort of fanfare for the common person credo - a challenge to individualism, stepping out on one's own, and breaking the mold out of sheer determination if nothing else. Frost connects to the core of the human spirit in just a few stanzas using the analogy of a fork in a road. The message super cedes geography, culture, race or creed. Rather, it is part of the DNA of most every person on the planet - the inner desire to feel empowered to create one's own destiny, to forge a road not taken, and ultimately in doing so, to make a difference.Rehearsal notesResearch strongly suggests that there is a direct connection between the first rehearsal and the performance. First impressions last. I find it helpful to immediately lock three concepts into place - mechanics (notes/rhythms), text/phrasing (intent and motivation) and color (timbre). Performers need to think musically from the first reading forward (first impression). The cello is very much a collaborative instrument in this work, and should be located in front of the ensemble (not to side). Lastly, let the text speak. The simplest melodic lines are often the most exposed. Keep the voices clear and transparent, floating over the top in softer passages, and singing with vibrancy and forward focus throughout.Z. Randall Stroope.

SKU: HL.14030017

ISBN 9788759851562. 8.25x11.75x0.047 inches.

The Piano music of Jean Sibelius ranks among the greatest of Finnish music, and his 1924 set Five Charactereistic Impressions demonstrates his importance. The first of this set, The Village Church is a ceremonial theme bringing to mind the oaccasions and events that surround a small place of worship and that is perfect for ushering in the start of a programme. An impressionist piece that captures the imagery of reality with tonality, colour and a solemn pace.

SKU: HL.14017469

UPC: 884088812041. 8.5x11.0x0.419 inches.

Composer's Note When I considered the ensemble of eight cellos, I first thought of matt and dark textures. I also wanted to go back to some ideas on symmetry. While I was pondering all that, I saw snow flakes falling from the dark sky of the Finnish autumn. Focusing on the snow, the idea of writing variations on it and its various forms became clearer in my mind.Nuages de neige is a uniform and linear texture in which I realise my first impressions of that ensemble. The two Etoiles de neige are based on the idea of symmetry and repetition: the first one develops up to a certain point where it doubles back as in a mirror image, the second one consists of eight sections in which the harmonic structure is repeated, as well as a linear gesture that becomes ever more present. Aguilles de glace focuses on different pizzicati and superimposed ostinati. With Fleurs de neige I sought to recall the texture of those harmonic trills at the end of the first section, although more airy and diversified here. Kaija Saariaho.

SKU: FP.FBS02

ISBN 9790570500192.

Sara h Baker is Vocal Composer in Residence at Education Music Services, an ABRSM examiner and a well known composer of songs and musicals for primary schools and massed-choral events.

All this experience has come together in the creation of this first published album of piano pieces, inspired by the sounds heard at night from the woodland just beyond Sarah’s childhood home.

Suitable for players of around grade 4-5 standard, her evocative sound pieces begin at the tranquillity of dusk and end with the exuberant dawn chorus.

The composer writes:

'I grew up with woods behind my house, and the nocturnal noises and images that I remember were the inspiration for these eight short sound pictures on the theme of night. The music moves first from the tranquility of dusk and evening mists, to the emerging starlight of twilight. As night falls it takes on on a darker quality with shadows and dreams disturbing peace and calm.The night birds and bats swoop and flit past as they seek their prey, but gradually dawn approaches and peaceful sleep is restored. The morning is heralded in the joyful exuberance of the dawn chorus.'.

SKU: KJ.JZB384F

About Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method

The Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method is designed to help both you and your jazz ensemble students explore the world of jazz through easy-to-use Rhythm Studies, Improvisation Studies, Instrument Specific Exercises, and full ensemble jazz charts. The approach is non-theoretical and aurally based. Each part book comes with an accompaniment CD, so like every great jazz player throughout history, students learn to play jazz by listening!