Make the Most of Your Budget Dollar!

Ohio Music Education Association Solo & Ensemble Adjudicated Events are fast-approaching!  If you’re looking to expand your music library with contest literature, you’ll get the most “bang for your buck” by choosing vocal solo collections that contain multiple contest selections.  Many collections (including 20th Century Art Songs, 24 Italian Songs & Arias, 55 Songs by Roger Quilter, Anthology of Spanish Songs, Easy Songs for the Beginning Mezzo-Soprano/Alto, First Book of Tenor Solos, The Lieder Anthology, and Standard Vocal Literature [Soprano]) contain 10 or more contest pieces, making them perfect for really stretching your valuable budget!

Click here for a full listing of vocal collections on the current Solo & Ensemble list and the individual solos each contains.  Need more information?  Please contact us!

Recharge Your Batteries

    Education is a challenging profession, and those in music education realize that teaching music is no different.  Too often the day-to-day details (duties, grades, PO requests, bus forms, permission slips, etc.), in other words, all of the regular responsibilities that have nothing to do with music, or even teaching, can be draining.  When this occurs, it is helpful to revisit why this profession and this particular subject are so important to us, and to hear some stories to make you realize that you are not alone – it’s not just your students, your teaching, or your program experiencing particular problems or challenges.

Two of the best educators, clinicians, and authors to help us get back on track are Dr. Peter Loel Boonshaft and Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser.  If you have ever attended one of their clinics, you know that they will have you rolling on the floor with laughter, and remind you why you want to be a music teacher.  Through true-to-life anecdotes, by challenging mindsets, and suggesting innovative teaching strategies, these two will make you feel better, give you some practical classroom ideas and help you to rediscover your motivation and inspire you to be your very best!  With the Christmas break upon us, wouldn’t this be the ideal time to recharge YOUR batteries?

Dr. Boonshaft’s writings include Teaching Music with Passion, Teaching Music with Purpose, and Teaching Music with Promise.  Be sure to catch him at the 2010 OMEA Professional Conference in Cincinnati, OH January 28-30! 

Dr. Lautzenheiser’s writings include The Art of Successful Teaching, The Joy of Inspired Teaching, Music Advocacy and Student Leadership, and Everyday Wisdom for Inspired Teaching.  A distillation of his student leadership clinics (Leadership, Vision, Commitment, Action) is also available for use with your students (of course, this is nothing like being there in-person!).

All of these items are available from Stanton’s.  Feel free to call (1-800-426-8742), e-mail (greatservice@stantons.com), or just click on the links above to get recharged!

Merry Christmas!

Stanton’s Sheet Music wishes you and your family a warm and happy holiday! Set the mood with this Bing Crosby classic:

The Most Well-Known Christmas Song

Silent Night is the most widely translated, most well-know Christmas song the world over!

“The original lyric for the song in German, Stille Nacht, was written by Joseph Mohr and  the melody was composed by Franz X. Gruber. The carol was first performed 191 years ago on 24 December 1818 at the St. Nicholas church in Oberndorf, Austria. Since then the Christmas song has achieved world wide appeal and it is said that there are over 300 translations of the song in the world.” (from http://www.silentnight.web.za/)

To learn more about this beloved carol, check out The Stille Nacht Association for a very thorough history, Silent Night Web for translations in 139 languages, or Stanton’s website for a variety of arrangements for every combination of instruments and voice.

Stanton’s Top Choices for Concert Band

All right, band directors!  Your elementary and middle school bands are gaining maturity, high school football is done, your Christmas concerts are in the can, you’re getting solos and ensembles doled out to your students and you have a mountain of promotional concert band recordings from a bunch of publishers to check out for winter and spring concerts, festivals and adjudications…
Let Stanton’s give you a hand. Our band staff has already looked at and listened to all the new music from publishers for the 2009-2010 school year and has separated the wheat from the chaff so you don’t have to spend valuable time doing it yourself. Think of us as your partner in music education. Stanton’s choices  will be the best-sounding, most educationally valid and easily programmable pieces of the new year.  Check out the recordings of these Top Choices at www.stantons.com and place an order.  You can’t go wrong!

TOP THREE GRADE 1 CONCERT BAND
LITTLE STAR arr. Rob Grice
Mature sounding setting of Mozart’s Twinkle Variations.
NOMADIC ADVENTURES by Steve Hodges
Reinforce minor tonalities and steady rhythmic patterns.
SUPREMACY by Sean O’Loughlin
Introduce dissonance, musical conflict & resolution.

TOP THREE GRADE 1.5 CONCERT BAND
AZTALAN (City of Mystery) by Michael Sweeney
Mature, mysterious film-score-like effects such as tone clusters.
BIG RAVEN by Vince Gassi
Express art and nature in music with birdcalls, rain and forest sounds.
SHADES OF GOLD by Ed Huckeby
Absolutely beautiful 3/4 ballad to improve balance, blend and phrasing.

TOP THREE GRADE 2 CONCERT BAND
ELECTRICITY by Brian Balmages
Modern harmonies and great percussion writing with intensity.
PATH OF DESTINY by Sean O’Loughlin
A study in contrasts in the style of movie battle music.
WILLOW CREEK FESTIVAL by Steve Hodges
Intriguing harmonies, keys, counterpoint and time signatures.

TOP THREE GRADE 2.5 CONCERT BAND
CELEBRATION AND SONG by Robert Sheldon
Boyant syncopation and lyrical midsection with a short alto sax solo.
A DISTANT LIGHT by James Swearingen
Lyrical and subtly shifting tempos with emphasis on rubato playing.
THE RED BARON by Eric Morales
Musical depiction of the World War I flying ace – even a dogfight!

TOP THREE GRADE 3 CONCERT BAND
CANADIAN FOLK TRILOGY arr by Vince Gassi
A hearty sailor’s song, tender Inuit lullaby and boisterous sea chantey.
CHOREOGRAPHY by Robert Sheldon
Frolic in the ever-changing palette of the many faces of footwork.
A JAMESTOWN TRILOGY by Gary Fagan
Celebrate the proud, indomitable spirit of America’s founding fathers.

TOP THREE GRADE 3.5 CONCERT BAND
EXHILARATION by Larry Clark
A bold and effervescent overture that’s exceptional in every respect.
PIRATES by Travis J. Welter
Prepare to attack, engage in a fierce battle and celebrate with ribald revelry!
ON WINGS OF ANGELS by Barry Milner
Uplifting and spiritual with colorful chord clusters and dramatic modulations.

TOP THREE GRADE 4 CONCERT BAND
BEYOND THE HORIZON by Rossano Galante
Visions of magnificent earthscapes in a work of profound expression.
SHENANDOAH arr. by Randol Alan Bass
Timeless and exquisitely beautiful with an extraordinary whispered ending.
SOUTHERN HYMN by Samuel Hazo
An original hymn overflowing with the reverence and inspiration of a classic.

TOP THREE GRADE 5 CONCERT BAND
ANTIPHONAL FANFARE by Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn
Triumphant and powerful opener  with a focus on rhythmic and melodic polyphony.
MIDNIGHT ON MAIN STREET by Brian Balmages
Explosions and celebrations contrasted with an impressionistic light and shadow blend.
VELOCITY by Robert Sheldon
Built for speed, brimming with style and an astonishing array of textual variations.

See and/or hear some things you like?  Place your order online, email or call Stanton’s at 1-800-42-MUSIC (Ext 2 for band music)  Thanks for your orders–we truly do appreciate them.

We’re probably “preaching to the choir,” but…

Is anyone else out there bugged by the lack of coverage for arts events on the nightly news?  There is so much sensationalism and emphasis on the negative that a lot of people won’t even watch the news to avoid becoming depressed.  Another pet peeve is the amount of time they spend talking about the weather!  Television stations probably have to justify the expense of all their radar equipment by giving five minutes of air time to the weather, which can be summed up in about thirty seconds – what happened today, what to expect for tomorrow and what the rest of the week could possibly look like.  How about an e-mail/letter-writing campaign to local TV stations asking them to cut back on the unnecessary time it takes to cover the weather and fill that time with coverage of the arts: announcing upcoming concerts, plays and art shows; doing reviews of local concerts, plays, movies and exhibitions; offering profiles of local school or professional music, drama or art programs; having interviews with musicians, artists and actors around the vicinity. We’re not talking about a fluff piece at the end of the broadcast, but a scheduled time during each news period to talk about the arts in the area. They give sports a huge hunk of air time – how about the arts? Let’s let our voices be heard–tell your local stations what you think.  Let’s give the arts their due!

Last-Minute Gift Solution!

“‘Tis the Season” for gift-giving and gift certificates at Stanton’s!
Don’t know what to buy for that musical person in your life–consider buying a gift certificate from Stanton’s. You’ll be glad to know that when you purchase a gift certificate at Stanton’s, it will never expire. People always love to receive gift certificates and your teacher, choir director or student will be able to put it to good use! Contact us at 1-800-42-MUSIC to discuss payment and shipping options.

What…Who…Composers???

 The year is winding down; the holiday concerts and programs are over and the class party is the only big event left. What to do in these last few days of December to keep the students’ attention and still teach them something?  Movies. But not just ANY movies: The Composers’ Specials DVDs  are the answer to your question.  These DVDs are superb and have won many educational awards.  There is also a Teacher’s Guide that offers a variety of lesson plans, activities and easy-to-follow listening maps that go along with the DVDs. 
Who would have guessed that a famous composer and a humble stable boy would join forces and embark on a collaoration that would be music to the world’s ears in “Strauss: The King of Three Quarter Time?” 
Watch how a 12-year old girl and an aloof, irritable, forgetful piano teacher can become friends who share the ability to feel life deeply in “Bizet’s Dream“. 
There are 6 of these wonderful, educational, and heartfelt DVDs.  They can be purchased individually or as a set in the Collector’s Edition.  Each DVD runs less than 1 hour. 
What a way to end 2009 or get 2010 off to a great start! 
For more information or for any questions please call us at 1-800-42-MUSIC or contact us via email or visit our website.

Collections from your favorite Christmas albums!

Do you want to do more than just “sing along” with your favorite Christmas albums this year? Try one of these popular collections for piano/vocal/guitar:

Noel Josh Groban

Groban’s Noel was the first Christmas album in over a decade to hit number one, and then went on to become the best-selling album of the year in 2007. It even passed Elvis’ previous Christmas record by staying at the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks. Now musicians can enjoy playing and singing Groban’s songs in this collection that features arrangements of all 13 tracks. Groban fans should also check out “Believe” from The Polar Express, available as a vocal solo.

Merry Christmas Mariah Carey

Carey’s multi-octave vocal range brought a fresh interpretation of standards and made new songs into classics in this charming holiday collection. This matching folio to her album features nine holiday favorites, including: All I Want for Christmas Is You, Christmas (Baby Baby Please Come Home), Miss You Most at Christmas Time, O Holy Night and more. There is also a new arrangement of “All I Want for Christmas is You” for your SATB, SSA or SAB choir.

The Lost Christmas Eve Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Known for their elaborate concerts, complete with a full light show and dozens of pyrotechnics that are synchronized with their performance, Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas songs haves have become among their most popular works. This third and final volume of Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas Trilogy features Christmas Bells, Carousels and Time, Siberian Sleigh Ride, and Wizards in Winter.

For more information on this or other holiday collections, contact our Popular Music department.

Christmas Gifts for College Music Majors

As musicians who work with the general public, we at Stanton’s know that it can be challenging for ‘non-musicians’ to know what to get for the music major in the family.  Composer names and piece titles are often long and foreign and you don’t really know what your student already has.  You want to get them something ‘musical’ because you know they’ll love it, but are afraid of getting something too easy or childish.  Don’t fret because we’re here to help!  The following suggestions are perfect gifts for any music major:

- A new metronome

- A new Manhasset music stand

- The Harvard Dictionary of Music

- The A to Z of Foreign Musical Terms

- Effortless Mastery

- Teaching Band and Orchestra

- Instrument Repair for the Music Teacher

- So… You’re the New Band Director: Now What?

- The Anatomy of Conducting

- Classical Destinations

Hopefully you’ve found that last-minute gift!  If not, don’t hesitate to give us a call: 1-800-426-8742.  You can also order over the phone, or via our website!  Merry Christmas!!