Use this page as a resource for what you need to practice. All music and concert logistics can be found HERE. If the videos do not play because YouTube is being blocked, they are also posted on Google Classroom and will play there. This is (probably) going to be concert order.

Recharge, by Adrian B. Sims

Official Program Notes:

"This relentless composition begins with an initial burst of energy that charges back up over time. After a short, softer section, brass fanfares and intense rhythms bring us to ultimate intensity, where the music concludes with one final swell to the end."

Notes from Mr. Smith:

Beginning - 6. Notes should be short but not staccato, and should not touch. Percussion, start measure 5 as soft as you can play, and make a big deal out of the crescendo.
6 - 14. Back WAY down in volume. Clarinets make sure your embouchure is firm and your tongue is saying "hee". Alto saxes don't drag.
14 - 22. Back WAY down in volume so you can make the crescendo into 22 effective. Don't breathe on the barline at the end of the crescendo.
22 - 30. Notes should not touch. 8th notes should almost be stacatto. Think light, not heavy.
30 - 38. Same as above.
38 - 46. Subdivide that rhythm carefully. Notes should not touch. Back down in volume. Flute, clarinet, trumpet, mallets, be confident in your entrance at 45, but don't be too loud! Don't let those notes touch either.
46 - 45. SUBDIVIDE!
54 - end. Bari sax, low brass at 54, clarinet, alto and tenor sax, French horn at 55, be super confident with the half notes. Everyone decrescendo to as soft as you can play at measure 60, then huge crescendo at 61 for a strong finish.

Khutulun, by Tim Thompson

Official Program Notes:

"In the reign of the Mongolian empire, Khutulun (Koo-too-loon) was the great-great granddaughter of Genghis Khan, and was considered the best warrior in her father's army. Legent says that she was also an undefeated wrestler, beating any man who challenged her. This piece musically illustrates her riding out to battle on her horse and captures her warrior spirit."

Notes from Mr. Smith:

Beginning - 9. Remember your style. Don't let it get bogged down. Keep quarter notes shorter but not staccato (don't let them touch)
9 - 17. No louder than MF. It has to contrast with the opening statement.
17 - 25. Start soft when you come in, so the crescendo at 24 is super effective. Don't breath at the end of the crescendo going into 25.
25 - 29. Low brass be really confident on your notes at 25. Make them separated and play loud with a good sound.
29 - 37. Start measure 36 as soft as you can play to make the crescendo super effective.
37 - 45. A little softer than F so we can play 45 a little louder. Low brass play loud here.
45 - End. Freeze at the end. Let the gong ring for a while, as long as my hands are up.

Fire's Edge, by Ralph Ford

Official Program Notes:

"'Fireball' is a term associated with a meteor event that occurs in the Earth's atmosphere each day. Most of these events are masked by the daylight or remain unnoticed, as they occur over the oceans and other uninhabited regions of the world. The brighter the fireball, the rarer the event. Join us at the edge of the earth's atmosphere."

Notes from Mr. Smith:

Beginning - 9. Percussion, play the UNaccented notes really soft so we can hear what's accented better. Really loud, really deep, and really quick "HUH!". Clapping has to be together--wait until count 3 and don't be early. For the stomping, don't lift your foot too high or it won't be together. Everyone, especially percussion, crescendo to silence on measure 8.
9 - 17. Play this soft. This will be the first time in the concert where we will actually play softly, especially clarinets and saxophones. Saxophones don't drag. Percussion make sure you're really soft here. Really dramatic crescendo in measure 16.
17 - 25. None of the notes should touch unless they're slurred, especially the quarters. Percussion don't play the unaccented notes loud. Huge crescendo in measure 24.
25 - 33. Overdo the <> dynamics. Count your part carefully, this HAS to stay together. Low brass, be really confident on your entrance at 29. Do the dynamics.
33 - 41. Low brass really confident on your part--bring it out. Woodwinds and high brass at 36, be really confident on that entrance and bring out the crescendo. Make a big deal out of the decrescendo at 40.
41 - 50. Low brass, T sax, and French Horns, be really confident on your part here. Bring out the <> and count carefully. Trumpets and woodwinds, confident on your entrance at 45. Bring out the dynamic shaping. Make this line as flowy and pretty as you can. Trumpets, set your embouchure BEFORE your high C. Clarinets, if you're not confident crossing the break, take it down an octave.
50 - 58. Don't let it get heavy and drag.
58 - End. ALL notes short (but not quite staccato). Start measure 61 as soft as you can play and bring out that crescendo. The 8th notes can be staccato, and really punchy.

Echoes of Iron, by Jordan Sterk

Official Program Notes:

"Dark and mysterious, Echoes of Iron creates imagery of machinery and forges at work. Steady, powerful sounds fill the air, echoing the rhythmic clang of hammers, the hiss of steam, and the rumble of gears."

Notes from Mr. Smith:

Beginning - 5. 8th notes should be detached and not heavy. Make sure the half notes are accented and slightly louder than the 8ths. Measure 3, beat 3 is suddenly as soft as you can play so the crescendo into 5 is super effective. Don't breathe after the crescendo.
5 - 13. The dynamic is F, but we can back away a little. Play the 8th notes slightly detached, think light and bright. NONE of this section should be legato, and none of the notes should touch.
13 - 19. Go ahead and back down to P for this section. Keep the notes light and detached. HUGE crescendo art measure 18, starting as soft as you can play at the beginning of the measure.
19 - 23. Detached notes that are loud and biting, but not heavy. Keep the tongue light. Measure 22, suddenly back down to as soft as you can play, with a massive crescendo without a breath at the barline at 23. Play into the dissonance at 19.
23 - 27. Percussion feature. Make the UNaccented notes softer so the accents are effective. Decrescendo to as soft as you can play in measure 26.
27 - 33. As absolutely as soft and light as you can play (without slowing down). Should not be legato at all--none of the notes should touch. Measure 31 should still be as soft as you can play, with a really big crescendo going into 33 (without a breath on the barline at 33).
33 - 37. Play into the dissonance at measure 33. 33, 34, and 25 should be short, loud, and biting, with a good sound. Play as soft as you can play, suddenly, at measure 36, with a massive crescendo and no breath going into 37.
37 - end. Short 8th notes, make the accented notes louder (back away on the UNaccented). None of these notes need to touch.

Any Way You Want It, by Journey. Arr. Michael Story

Official Program Notes:

There are none. You should all know this piece.

Notes from Mr. Smith:

KNOW THE ROADMAP! The only syncopation that we added is the melody. No low brass sycopation so we can hear the contrast. Whenever you have the syncopated melody, play the syncopated notes accented and shorter. (Listen to the original song by Journey and play "Any way you want it, that's the way you need it..." EXACTLY like they sing it.)

Beginning - 13. Don't cover the flute and clarinet melody. They bring that out. Everyone else backs way down. Low brass, fast air, tight face for the high Bb.
13 - 21. Low brass and trumpets, these quarter notes need to be short and not too loud. This entire section, back down in volume so the crescendo at 20 is effective.
21 - D.S al Coda. Play the syncopated melody exactly like Journey does it.
30 - 38 - 46. Same as above.
46 - end. NO SYNCOPATION HERE TO END. Start 46 as soft as you can play (ignore the dynamics), and do a massive crescendo without a breath at the end for two measures. Pay attention to the accidental 3rd measure from the end. We added a forte-piano next to last measure. Don't splat it. Good tone ("dah") on the last note.

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