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.

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.

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.