Book Releases at the 2014 Midwest Clinic

I’m very humbled to have been asked to contribute two chapters in books being released by GIA Publications this Midwest Clinic:

Whatsoever Things…The Life and Teachings of John P. Paynter

John P. Paynter was one of the true legends of the wind band world, serving as the celebrated Director of Bands at Northwestern University and President of the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. He forever impacted the instrumental music community.

Whatsoever Things… is a fascinating portrait, a collaborative effort written by friends, colleagues, former students, and with guidance from the Paynter family.

This book delves into Mr. Paynter’s outstanding abilities as a great teacher, conductor, composer-arranger, leader, role model, innovator, and motivator.

Whatsoever Things… explores Mr. Paynter’s early years growing up in small-town Mineral Point, Wisconsin, his student years at Northwestern University, his years as Director of Bands at Northwestern, his directorship of the famed Northshore Concert Band, and his years as President of the Midwest Clinic.

More than a simple portrait, Whatsoever Things… culminates with an examination of the present state of affairs in instrumental music education and the wind band profession, and how its role in the school curriculum and in society may change in the years ahead.

Teaching Music through Performance in Middle School Band

Rarely has a published resource contained so much invaluable information specifically for middle school band directors.

This much-needed volume fills a gap in the acclaimed Teaching Music through Performance series, providing critical information on creating an effective wind band program in Grades 6 through 8, from recruitment, rehearsal, repertoire, to concert.

Chapters by leading middle school band directors focus on organization and administration (Gary Barton), developing proper instrumentation (Erin Cole), recruitment and retention (Chip De Stefano), technique (Charles R. Jackson), literature selection (Scott Tomlison), rehearsal (Marguerite Wilder), and a comprehensive listing of other resources (Susan Taylor).

Central to this volume is the identification and analysis of 100 core works for middle school ensembles, organized by difficulty level, from middle school grade 1 to 3.5. A separate section is devoted entirely to analyzing marches, also organized by difficulty level. Together, these works make up core repertoire for middle school bands.

As with other books in the Teaching Music through Performance series, each Teacher Resource Guide includes information about the composer, the work, historical perspectives, technical considerations, stylistic considerations, analysis of musical elements and form and structure, suggested listening references, and cross references to additional resources.