CONGRATULATIONS!
You have been selected to participate in the 2026 South Dakota Middle School All-State Honor Band! Now the real work begins!
As soon as you are able, please go to the website (linked HERE) and navigate to the ‘2026 SDMS All-State Bands’ tab (and mark it as a favorite so you can get back there easily). Once there, you should be able to access recordings of the music we will perform. It’s important to listen to the recordings often and be as prepared on your part as you can possibly be BEFORE the first rehearsal. Know the rhythms and notes so that we can spend our full rehearsal time learning how your part fits into the overall sound, aligning articulations, etc. The plan is to perform all pieces in the folder. The music is not easy: you will need to practice this music often to ensure success at the performance. But I know you can do it. :-)
If your individual part is tough – practice it. Be able to do more than just get through the music when you arrive. We need to be making music right away. If your individual part looks or “appears” easy, do not be fooled, practice it anyway. What I’m looking for on this concert is precision and accuracy – playing music (no matter how difficult) at a very high level and making our audience feel the energy in the room.
Epic Venture, by Tyler S. Grant
This will be a nice, solid opener for us. Quarter note = 152, and it needs to be (at least) that fast. Crisp chords, and lots of accents and solid articulations are going to be essential. I need BIG forte/pianos on the upbeats to measure 15 and measure 19. Percussion (and this really goes for your section all the way through the entire concert) – be aggressive and play out. If it’s too much, I’ll let you know. I really want this concert to showcase everyone’s abilities, and the percussion section shines in much of this music. It’s easy to let this piece lose intensity as we move to the finish – do not let that happen. Push all the way.
Tenacity, by Heather Hoefle (will be directed by Mrs. Jennifer Adams, SDMSAS Festival Band Conductor)
This piece is to be played with drive and passion. The low brass parts should be played with precise and well-defined articulations. The expressive section at measure 20 should feature your best and most beautiful personal tone qualities. There is a great deal of syncopation and overlapping melody lines. Count your rhythms carefully and exaggerate the dynamic changes, especially the crescendos and decrescendos. This composition was written to represent the determination and perseverance that is required to be successful in life. The final fade signals that your hard work and tenacity will continue after the end of this song.
Spring Will Come Again, by Randall D. Standridge
When you listen to this work, be sure to read what the composer has written about this composition – it’s very powerful and important. We need to make this one really come alive, I want YOU to feel something so that our audience also feels the energy in the room. In the percussion section, the piano part is critical, so I really hope that (at least) one of you will feel comfortable with that piano part. For everyone: your individual part may look deceptively easy, so do NOT get swayed by the music you see. The musical colors we use and the emotion that goes along with it will make this piece very special for all of us, and our audience.
Glitch, by Heather Ellis Koehn
Here is another piece of music that really relies on a driving pulse and a tempo that never slows down. Quarter note = 148 and it may go faster, we’ll see. Important percussion parts, and whenever your section has the melody, you need to bring that out. It gives spy thriller meets computer virus movie vibes – or maybe that’s just me. I think it will be a fun one to work on and perform with this group.
Afro Blue, by Mongo Santamaria, arranged by Michael Sweeney
THIS one is going to be fun! Please listen to this one so that you have the overall feel of this down before we get to it. It’s a famous jazz band piece that has been arranged for the concert band, and I really think our audience will go crazy for it. Percussion, this is a bit of a showcase for you. From measure 5 to m. 13, it’s all you. Also m. 29 to m. 33. Everyone: be prepared to repeat measures 65-73 so the percussion really gets a chance to shine. There might be another surprise with this one that I’ll explain when we all get together. It might work, but it might not, we’ll just have to see…
Choose Joy, by Randall D. Standridge
This one will be quite special for me personally. I’ll explain the story (well, stories) about it when we get together. Like most of the music on this concert, it’s not TECHNICALLY super challenging. The emotion(s) that we all bring to this are going to be what puts this over the top. There are some things to work out, for sure, but the collective energy of our ensemble is what I’m most looking forward to.
I can’t wait until we meet in March, and I look forward to working with all of you! Thanks in advance for your efforts in making this a great experience for everyone!