The Flying Baton - a beginning band podcast: Recent Episodes
The Flying Baton
Buy Warmups with A Beat Here!
https://www.theflyingbaton.com/store/p/warmups-with-a-beat
Should you go to assessment? Are there viable alternatives? What are the judges even listening for? How do we use assessment to further our musical goals? All this and more in this episode!
We chat with 3 teachers with various levels of experience about the process of student teaching and how it does and doesn't prepare you for the gig!
This year, my school (Shelburne Middle School) was picked to play at our state conference. I invited legends Harry Farmer from Blacksburg MS and Scott Allred from Fieldale-Collinsville MS on the show for advice and guidance.
Perspectives on interviews from Alan Shull, Principal of Fort Defiance High school, and Barry Flowe, former Curriculum Supervisor of Hanover County.
Jeff’s Bio - https://www.giamusic.com/store/artists/jeff-scott
Jeff’s Clinic Handout - https://www.giamusic.com/pdf/G-8619HO1.pdf
Pick of the Week
March to Castle Rock by Steve Hodges
Published by Alfred
Buy/Listen - https://www.jwpepper.com/March-to-Castle-Rock/2398238.item
Pick of the Week
Danza de Espana by Carol Brittin Chambers
Published by Carl Fischer
Buy/Listen - https://www.jwpepper.com/Danza-de-Espana/10521882.item
Helen Blackburn’s Contact Info
https://www.helenblackburn.com/
hblackburn@wtamu.edu
Helen’s Handout, “Proper Care and Feeding of your Beginning Flute Class”
https://bit.ly/3CTZFq5
Pick of the Week
Stormchasing by William Owens
Published by FJH
Listen/Buy: https://bit.ly/3CEWPEZ
Pick of the Week
Rise of the Bladesmith by Brian Balmages
Published by FJH Music Company Inc.
Listen/Buy: https://www.jwpepper.com/Rise-of-the-Bladesmith/10312622.item
Tiffany conducting a virtual honor band (at the 9:10 mark) - https://youtu.be/WN4_Xe7cTho?t=547
Pick of the Week
The Machine Awakes by Steven Bryant
Listen/buy - https://www.stevenbryant.com/news/the-machine-awakes-music-for-young-band-electronics
Pick of the week
Thunder Dragon by Michael Story
Published by Alfred.
Buy/Listen: https://bityl.co/7IlW
This work is based on a song from the southern Asian country of Bhutan. There are four contrasting variations that are meant to paint a picture of thunderstorms that cascade down the Himalayas.
This piece opens with beautiful chant-like sections including an extended low brass feature right off the bat. The arrangement grows in layers as the piece goes on and grants a complex image of Bhutanese life.
Show Notes
On Streets of Gold by Fagan - https://www.alfred.com/on-streets-of-gold/p/00-33865/
Algorhythms by Fagon - https://www.jwpepper.com/Algorhythms/10027029.item
James River Music - https://jamesrivermusicva.com/
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Clarinets Packing up Early by Gary Fagan
Published by Alfred
Buy/Listen - https://www.jwpepper.com/Clarinets-Packing-Up-Early/10453089.item
Video of a performance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxA7MvqQcKU
www.buildingabassoonist.com
Natalie’s Youtube Channel: https://ytube.io/3Faq
Mazama by J. Chattaway: https://bityl.co/5uqq
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Cyclone by Michael Oare
Published by Musicworks
Buy/Listen: https://bityl.co/5uqn
Link to our COVID Guidelines: https://ggle.io/3oIl
Link to playing flute with mask video: https://ytube.io/3E78
Another flute option: https://ytube.io/3E79
Warmups with a Beat: https://www.theflyingbaton.com/store/p/warmups-with-a-beat
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Drive by Mark Williams
Published by Alfred
Buy/Listen: https://bityl.co/5LKt
Pick of the Week:
Dr. ROCKenstein by Steve Hodges
Buy/Listen: https://tinyurl.com/yyvbwkho
Show Notes
Music Tech Links - https://buildingbeats.org/toolbox
Screenshot of Lesson Log - Click here
HP Monitor with Adjustable Stand - https://tinyurl.com/yxbz7upl
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Due to the length of this episode and how fast we wanted to push it out, this segment will return for the next episode!
Video Version - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=289123912381617
Secondary Results PDF: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/second-round-of-performing-arts-aerosol-study-produces-encouraging-preliminary-results/
Preliminary Results PDF: https://www.nfhs.org/media/4029952/preliminary-testing-report-7-13-20.pdf
NPR interview with Shelly Miller:Â https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/07/15/coronavirus-indoor-air-conditioning
Study Shelly Miller co-authored about the choir outbreak: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.15.20132027v2
CU Boulder article: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2020/07/09/experts-weigh-airborne-transmission-covid-19
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7293495/
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Pulsation by Richard Saucedo
Published by Hal Leonard
Link to buy/listen - https://tinyurl.com/yy34cxws
Video Version - https://www.facebook.com/theflyingbaton/videos/570042633666941/
Guest Bio - Click here
Preliminary Results PDF: https://www.nfhs.org/media/4029952/preliminary-testing-report-7-13-20.pdf
NPR interview with Shelly Miller:Â https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/07/15/coronavirus-indoor-air-conditioning
Study Shelly Miller co-authored about the choir outbreak: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.15.20132027v2
CU Boulder article: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2020/07/09/experts-weigh-airborne-transmission-covid-19
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7293495/
Our guests today
Brenda Bressler - Huron School District; New Boston, Michigan
Nicole Rubis - Rocky Top Middle School; Thornton, Colorado
Brian Mahler - East Sac County Middle School; Sac City, Iowa
Aaron Carnahan - Charter School; Aurora, Colorado
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
On the Edge of the Sword by David Shaffer
Published by Barnhouse
Listen/buy - https://tinyurl.com/ydfjke9m
Show Notes
Randall’s Bio - https://tinyurl.com/y87cqcq5
Randall’s Epic TicTok collection - https://tinyurl.com/ycuoaeas
Randall’s Favorite Beginning Band Piece - https://tinyurl.com/y7eur42c
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Starfire Fanfare - Randall Standridge
Published by Randall Standridge Music, LLC
Listen/Buy - https://tinyurl.com/y9899pkg
Full Biography and Oboe Resources - https://tinyurl.com/y9y6j89c
Her favorite beginning band piece “Majestica” by Balmages- https://tinyurl.com/yca7u76o
Another favorite “Along the Crystal Coast” by Oare - https://tinyurl.com/yd5jcnuq
Sammy’s Contact info - Samantha.Charriez@lcps.org
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Dark Adventure by Ralph Ford
Published by Alfred
Link to Listen/Buy - https://tinyurl.com/qw36ljj
Karen Doyle’s Full Bio - https://www.theflyingbaton.com/s/Karen-Full-Bio.doc
Mindy Hooker’s Full Bio - https://www.theflyingbaton.com/s/Mindy-Full-Bio.docx
Study of how various factors effect festival ratings - https://bit.ly/2WqELuA
Guest’s Favorite Beginning Band Pieces
Procession of the Cyborgs by Wlliams - https://bit.ly/2SEdfZq
Dragons of the Ancient Court by Williams - https://bit.ly/3fqFW5J
Let it Rock by Story - https://bit.ly/2WrTYeM
Mystic Dance by Sweeney - https://bit.ly/2YBRf53
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
The Streets of Madrid by John Moss
Published by Hal Leonard
Buy/Listen here - https://bit.ly/3b4VtEW
Karen Doyle’s Full Bio - https://www.theflyingbaton.com/s/Karen-Full-Bio.doc
Mindy Hooker’s Full Bio - https://www.theflyingbaton.com/s/Mindy-Full-Bio.docx
Study of how various factors effect festival ratings - https://bit.ly/2WqELuA
Guest’s Favorite Beginning Band Pieces
Procession of the Cyborgs by Wlliams - https://bit.ly/2SEdfZq
Dragons of the Ancient Court by Williams - https://bit.ly/3fqFW5J
Let it Rock by Story - https://bit.ly/2WrTYeM
Mystic Dance by Sweeney - https://bit.ly/2YBRf53
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
The Streets of Madrid by John Moss
Published by Hal Leonard
Buy/Listen here - https://bit.ly/3b4VtEW
We’ve set up a google voicemail box and we’d like people to call in with their stories on how the pandemic has effected them and/or their students. We’d also like to hear what you have been doing to continue instruction with your students. Call (540) 324-8186.
My recruitment Video - https://bit.ly/3bT7YUP
Scott Lang’s instrument Video - https://bit.ly/2xQ71Ok
Pick of the Week
Dark Ride by Randall Standridge
Published by FJH Music Company
Listen/Buy - https://bit.ly/39zAolq
Susan’s Full Bio - https://bit.ly/2WyCVtj
Oliver Band Facebook Page - https://bit.ly/2xfJzKi
Popcorn Prelude by Mike Hannickel - https://bit.ly/2wvEM7u
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Byzantine Dances by Carol Brittin Chambers
Published by Excelcia Music Publishing in 2018
This piece is fast paced and fun. It explores the Byzantine Scale so there are a healthy amount of accidentals. There are a lot of fun ornamental grace notes and trills as well. In the B section, we breakdown into a slower more seductive dance with a solo saxophone part. This is accompanied by the band snapping their fingers to give it a characteristic feel. In the end we recap the material from the beginning with a little bit of a round and a big finish.
Trumpet 1 goes up to D in the staff and trumpet 2 only goes to B natural in the staff. Horns go up to C in the staff a few times, but spend most of the time in their comfortable range. Also of note, there is only 1 trombone part and it goes up to Eb above the staff quite a few times. There is a healthy amount of percussion parts, but you’re going to want to make sure you have a really confident player on tambourine as it’s the most important percussion part in the faster sections of the music
Link to Listen/Buy - https://bit.ly/3bcHwFA
X-Ray of Clarinet Tonguing - http://bit.ly/2U0K4PU
Clarinet Youtube Playlist - http://bit.ly/2W9k6fV
Rubank Duet Book - https://amzn.to/2U2G5lY
Poly Crystal Mouthpiece - http://bit.ly/2W22lPH
Vandoren M30 Mouthpiece - https://amzn.to/3cR6xYr
The Clarinet Project - https://www.theclarinetproject.com/
Beginning Band Pick of the Week
Spanish Rose by Joseph Compello
Published by Carl Fischer
Amazing for showing off your clarinet section! There are 2 clarinet parts. Neither go over the break and the parts are mostly the same, there are just splits here and there for harmony. The range for them is low A to Bb in the staff. There are 2 trumpet parts. The first part goes up to A and the second part only goes to G in the staff. These parts are split into harmony most of the piece. The horn part is very accessible and only goes to G in the staff as well The low brass parts only range from low Ab to F.
Link to Buy/Listen - http://bit.ly/2TU5EWq
Listen to full version - http://bit.ly/2WcDM2E
Links in this Episode
Habits of a Successful Middle School Band - https://amzn.to/2wUL9B3
PDF of 5th Grade Flier - http://bit.ly/2x3yQmh
My cringy Musica.ly Video - http://bit.ly/38cmUey
My School’s Instagram - http://instagram.com/shelburneband
Susan Waters’ program at Oliver Middle School - https://www.facebook.com/OliverMiddleSchoolBand/
Beginning Band Pick of the WeekTuba in Cuba by Victor Lopez
Published by Alfred
Amazing at recruiting tuba players!
Put them front and center for this one!
Trumpets go up to C in the staff, but only a couple times
Clarinets don’t go over the break
1 part per instrument
Link to Listen/Buy - http://bit.ly/2T6UeQ2
Links in this episodeMusser 4.3 Kelon Marimba (recommended) - http://bit.ly/38MeuM4
Yamaha Low A Padouk Marimba (cheaper) - http://bit.ly/38Ov0ev
Basic Yamaha Vibraphone (non graduated) - http://bit.ly/2VaeYYz
Slide with the percussion rotation - http://bit.ly/2uVzJwt
Rudiment page - http://bit.ly/2SN7Ob4
Beginning Band Pick of the WeekCreepy Crawlies by Michael Story
Published by Belwin Mills (Alfred)
Trumpet and clarinet go to Bb in the staff
The piece uses the first 6 notes of the C minor scale for all instruments.
Link to buy/listen - http://bit.ly/2wDkyZh
Welcome to the Flying Baton! This is a beginning band podcast made by Charlie Nesmith, a 13 year educator in the Shenandoah Valley of Virignia.
Links from the episodehttp://shelburneband.com
Beginning Band Pick of the WeekAnd it Begins - By Haley Woodrow
Link to buy/listen
Things I like
- The low brass has the main melody!
- There are good use of accidentals
- there are nice contrasts of style and articulation
- awesome snare drum part
- The Euphonium and Bassoon parts are different than the trombone
Special Considerations
- Clarinet 1 goes to C above the staff
- Clarinet 2 plays B in the staff (over the break) a lot
- Trumpet 1 goes to E in the staff
- There are two trombone parts, the 1st part goes to D above the staff.
- you MUST have a really good snare drum player. In fact, you may have to train a backup just in case
Please visit http://theflyingbaton.com for more detailed show notes!