WINGERT-JONES PUBLICATIONS

This exceptional compilation contains a wealth of traditional hymns, folk melodies and chorales from various sources that include early American hymns as well as chorales from the English, Welsh and Scottish traditions. The collection is filled with small artistic gems that stand on their own as snapshots of music history. The flexible scoring creates uniquely satisfying opportunities for musicians to strengthen their skills in tuning, expression, blend, and balance in the symphonic band, wind ensemble or chamber group. Applicable in performance as well as a teaching regimen, this is a fresh approach to the fundamentals of proper musicianship that will become an invaluable part of every successful instrumental music program.

Solve balance and intonation issues with these easy-to-use and effective exercises where students learn how to listen. All five cadences (half, deceptive, imperfect authentic, perfect authentic, and plagal) are represented in all twelve major keys and voiced in three parts for all instruments. By changing parts, students learn to listen first to themselves and then, by reassigning parts, they start to hear each other, "opening their ears" to the sounds around them.  This allows players to quickly learn the concepts of blend, tone, balance, and intonation. Short enough to use in any rehearsal situation, they are a perfect addition to any warm-up routine.  Since every instrument has all three parts, they can be used with full band, sectionals, and small groups of any combination of instruments, making it a perfect all-around rehearsal tool.

The first in a series of selections devoted to improving specific areas of performance.  All 12 major scales are presented in a clear, easy-to-read format that's adaptable to any rehearsal situation and can be practiced individually or in sequence, with the full band, sections, or individual players.  The percussion parts include basic as well as advanced rudimental snare drum parts and melodic and auxiliary parts that can be rotated between players.  Percussion can be rehearsed as a section as well as with the full band.  Valuable as a daily warm-up exercise, as a reinforcement of performance keys, or as audition/grading material.

Volume 4 of this series contains another 100 short sight-reading pieces, slightly more difficult than those in Volume 3, and includes more syncopated rhythms, meter changes and more use of sixteenth note rhythms. Efficient, adaptable, and appropriate for group or individual study, this volume completes a 4-year cycle, making it possible to use a different book each year for a 4-year concert band experience. A tested, convenient, and economical means to develop this very important aspect of overall musicianship.

Based on the best-selling series from Jerry West, this volume presents 50 original exercises to challenge the wind band at a Grade 2-3 level. Longer etudes, 16th notes, minor keys and a few modes can be found in this more advanced collection. This is a fine way to prepare for upcoming adjudications and to build a sight-reading regimen into the curriculum for wind players, as it complies with the NAfME National Standards that define proficiency levels in grades 5-12. Creative, fun to play, and full of twists and surprises, it will keep your musicians on their toes as it teaches independence and musicianship through every section of the ensemble.

Consistent with the previous volumes, The Sight-Reading Book for Band, Volume 3 contains 100 short sight-reading exercises, this volume at the easy and medium-easy levels.  The music can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes and instrumentation, yet is also well suited for individual study. With the addition of Volume 3, it is possible to provide even more sight-reading exercises so students will have a far larger number of new selections to sight-read without having to repeat exercises.

The industry leader in sight-reading preparation! This effective and efficient curriculum to develop sight-reading skills eliminates the need to retrieve music from the library, hand the music out to the band, collect and reassemble it in score order, and file it back in the library. Available in five volumes, each book provides one hundred short pieces and saves valuable rehearsal time. For effective rehearsal planning, an index is provided in the score with key signatures, meters, and primary rhythmic figures to provide assistance in creating lesson plans. The music is arranged in a flexible manner so that it can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes with varying instrumentation. The exercises feature various key signatures and meters, key changes, meter changes, accidentals, reversal of rhythms, repeats of various types, hemiola, and isolation of various sections of the ensemble. Volumes 1-4 are designed to supply material for an entire 4-year concert band experience without repeating any exercise.  A proven tool for developing musicianship and for the efficient preparation for sight-reading contests.

The Sight-Reading Book for Band, Volume 2 contains 100 short sight-reading exercises, slightly more difficult than those in Volume 1, including more syncopated rhythms, more meter changes and more use of sixteenth-note rhythms.  The music is arranged in such a manner that it can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes and instrumentation and is well suited for individual study. As with the other volumes in this series, this second volume has proven to be an invaluable tool, assisting directors with efficient preparation for sight-reading contests by allowing opportunities to focus on sight-reading in class.

This well designed easy-to-use routine of daily warm-ups and technique builders is effective and can be adapted to any rehearsal schedule.  After using them each day for only two and a half minutes, you'll see immediate improvement in your band's sectional and full ensemble playing.  The extended technique building options make this an even more valuable resource for developing bands!