1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,260 Welcome to our podcast, Band BFFs! 2 00:00:10,260 --> 00:00:13,280 The podcast where we make your music selection less complicated. 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:18,120 On today's episode, we will be discussing Into the Arctic by Brian Balmages. 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,920 Cheers to starting the conversation! 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:28,760 Alright, this piece is on the grade two for the Texas prescribed music list. 6 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,520 It is about three minutes and 45 seconds long. 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,000 It is in concert B flat or G minor throughout. 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,960 It's in 4-4 for most of the piece, so there is a little bit of mixed meter towards the 9 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,280 end. 10 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:47,400 There are two flute parts, two clarinet parts, two alto to trumpet and two trombone parts. 11 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,200 Range is the first clarinet part crosses the break quite a bit, but the second clarinet 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,960 does not. 13 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,960 First trumpet does get up to a high F. The second trumpet range is very easy and the 14 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:03,080 first trombone part goes up to a high D. Percussion considerations, you need all of 15 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:04,400 the percussion parts in this. 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:05,400 It's really important. 17 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:06,400 Yeah, for sure. 18 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,960 And emphasis on timpani, bells, and the tom part. 19 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:13,800 I think that's where your priorities need to be. 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:21,880 This piece is really neat because it was inspired by some involving polar vortexes. 21 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:30,200 And it has a lot of imagery of crystal ice pieces and being in Antarctica and thinking 22 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:36,040 about some things that could have been involved in ancient Antarctica, like mythical creatures, 23 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,200 and all kinds of really cool things that you can share with your kids. 24 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:44,480 But just know that the piece, it starts real slow and kind of mysterious, and then it goes 25 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,840 faster and is very exciting at the end. 26 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:53,440 It's a piece that your students will love to play and it does feature all the different 27 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,960 parts, which is really nice about it as just a piece in general. 28 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:02,440 So we started out at the very beginning, very slow and mysterious, as it says, with just 29 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,440 clarinet and percussion. 30 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,880 You want to make sure that you take some really good time to decide about percussion 31 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:13,160 mallet choices on this piece, and they may change throughout the piece as well. 32 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:18,120 It might be a little bit more, I don't know, more muffled, not muffled, but softer at the 33 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,560 beginning and maybe more strong and more clear at the end. 34 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,280 It'll kind of be up to you. 35 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:30,840 But definitely go through some different choices here on the bells and on the marimba and vibraphone. 36 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,600 There's lots of really cool metallic percussion parts here and triangle and everything. 37 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:41,960 It really does a cool, it has that cool vibe of conveying ice when you hear all that metal. 38 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:43,520 The imagery is great. 39 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,520 Yes. 40 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:49,480 So it starts out again with just the clarinet part and percussion and clarinet. 41 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,880 One wants to stay very long. 42 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,960 It's got tenudo markings and then the upper woodwind flute part is going to come in at 43 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,840 three, again, keeping it very mysterious. 44 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,960 And then a measure later, we're adding in the low people part. 45 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,120 So we're just adding in a few more parts to make it crescendo in volume without necessarily 46 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,320 getting louder and louder. 47 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:17,280 You do want to make sure that your horn part comes out at measure five along with the alto 48 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:18,280 part. 49 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,760 And remember, again, horn is super important. 50 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:25,680 Don't let alto saxophone take over unless they have a special part like they do here 51 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,800 in six, leading us into seven. 52 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:34,720 The low brass part can come up stronger, but again, keep the tonguing nice and tenudo as 53 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,320 you're leading up into the mezzo piano at measure seven. 54 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:44,120 And then measure eight, we're getting even stronger, nice suspended cymbal roll, making 55 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,880 it sound more mysterious and exciting going into nine. 56 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:53,280 I like this tuba and low reed part on three and four of measure eight going into nine. 57 00:03:53,280 --> 00:04:00,000 Really try to bring that out as it makes it more intense going into nine. 58 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:06,320 And then right here on the downbeat, we have trumpet two and horn and tenor sax and clarinet 59 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,720 two with kind of the first one and two and then trumpet one and clarinet one, three 60 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,640 and or two and three, four. 61 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:22,240 So just that little echo back and forth throughout this piece, clarinet two, trumpet two, horn 62 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:26,840 and sax most of the time are kind of a voice together. 63 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:33,800 At measure 10, we are going into a day crescendo here, but the low brass are leading us into 64 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:34,800 it. 65 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,120 So make sure low brass, low reeds are a little bit stronger than everybody else. 66 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:43,720 We do have a cool harmonic thing with the trombone, horn and tenor sax that you may 67 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,480 want to bring out that one beat three pitch. 68 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:54,080 And then please note that in these measures nine through 10, 11, we have a lot of accidentals. 69 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,000 So when you're going through your parts, if you've listened to any of our episodes before 70 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:03,320 we talk about pre-marking parts a lot to help the success of your child, your children, 71 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,000 as well as you as the director. 72 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,560 So it's important to take some time to make sure that if you have any accidentals, you've 73 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,200 marked that they carry through the measure and just take the time to speak through that 74 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,280 with your students as well. 75 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:21,840 At 11, we start off very soft and we have a lot of these crescendo day crescendos and 76 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,040 we're kind of building and building and building. 77 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:28,620 So just make sure you're taking time to talk through the dynamics with your students. 78 00:05:28,620 --> 00:05:33,200 We do have a muted trumpet part and they only have one measure to put their mute in. 79 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,400 So make sure you kind of talk through that with them as well as what to do with their 80 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:41,840 tuning slide to make sure that they're in tune when they come in with the straight mute part. 81 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:43,120 And then that's an effect. 82 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:48,920 So you want to make sure that they bring that out, tonguing very firmly and any time that 83 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,080 you have a muted part and brass, it's written on purpose. 84 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,400 So make sure that it's something that is audible to the audience. 85 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,520 And I know Katie mentioned this, but with just the one measure turnaround to put that 86 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,240 mute in, that's going to be something they have to practice. 87 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,760 They are going to have to do that repeatedly to make sure they can do that in time. 88 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,920 So then we're getting into a little bit of different articulations here. 89 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,520 We're starting to see more of the like tongue slur pattern. 90 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:21,160 Ta, ta, and we're keeping it very connected as we have it. 91 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:28,080 Trumpets are doing that same articulation, getting stronger into 14, leading into vibraphone, 92 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,640 alto sax and clarinet having a similar thought process. 93 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:38,560 But again, tonguing very firmly with these accents and trumpet to horn part, that's kind 94 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,680 of going to lead us into 15. 95 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,680 15 is kind of like the pinnacle of that little moment. 96 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:52,000 And we have some staggered entrances on beat one with trumpet one and alto and then on beat 97 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,560 two with the trumpet two part. 98 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,060 So you're going to have to really think about, is that going to be heard really well? 99 00:06:58,060 --> 00:07:05,280 And then on beat three, clarinet one and beat four, clarinet two, tenor sax and trombone 100 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:06,280 one. 101 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:09,640 So you're kind of getting these staggered entrances and you want to make it sound like 102 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,640 the same volume for each one. 103 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,520 It is getting softer, but you want to make sure that they're heard. 104 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,480 So you may have to be like play around with like, well, at this one measure, I'm going 105 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,080 to have more of the trumpet ones play the trumpet two part, or I'm going to have more 106 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,680 of the clarinet ones play the clarinet two part, whatever works for your band. 107 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,960 And I would have my band bop that so it is really clear where everyone comes in. 108 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:31,960 Right. 109 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,320 The chimes are super important here too at 14. 110 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:40,640 And you want to make sure that that melody line comes out of the mix like crazy. 111 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,320 That's like a very important chimes moment. 112 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,360 You may even want to think about a different chime mallet. 113 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:50,080 Like it just depends on again what works for your group. 114 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,800 And then we're getting softer and leading into measure 17. 115 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,720 Even with these different entrances on one, two, three and four. 116 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,560 So once we get to 17, um, Tempani has a pickup note. 117 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,920 They are what lead us into 17, four, one. 118 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:05,920 We get to 17. 119 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,940 The dynamic is mezzo piano for the whole ensemble. 120 00:08:08,940 --> 00:08:13,480 But again, we want to make sure that the articulation is firm. 121 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:19,760 We have kind of unison rhythm for everyone except the horn and the upper woodwinds here. 122 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,200 So we want to hear the difference between the people that are entering on beat two and 123 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,920 the people that change on beat three. 124 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:32,080 Making sure that long valued notes sound to silence go all the way to those rests. 125 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,440 And that again, those the trumpet clarinet entrances saxophone entrances that we have 126 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:42,080 on beat two low brass everything, even though it is mezzo forte, we are still firm articulation 127 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:43,080 on the front of those notes. 128 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,560 So that becomes really clear. 129 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:47,120 Vibes is really important here. 130 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:52,000 They kind of provide the pulse here with that one and two and three and four. 131 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,640 You can tell that we're kind of preparing for the new tempo change. 132 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:01,720 We have more of the same idea when we get to measure 20, we're getting softer day crescendoing 133 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,720 and we're slowing down and we have a G flat and trombone too. 134 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,640 Yeah, which yay, just throwing that out there. 135 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:09,640 Always fun. 136 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:10,640 Yeah. 137 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:16,000 We are slowing down in measure 20 and the vibraphone is going to be responsible for that along 138 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:17,000 with the director. 139 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Obviously that tempo change. 140 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,840 So that is something you will practice a lot with you and the vibes making sure that we 141 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,080 slow down together. 142 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:31,320 And then all of the accompanying parts, especially beat four leading into the tempo change in 143 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,240 beat 21, that transition there is going to be something you have to practice several 144 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,160 times once we get to 21. 145 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,160 Now it's a new idea. 146 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:43,040 Now we are at a really fast pace, really fast tempo, but it's really soft. 147 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,520 Bells are the only thing that start, but we have bells and claves. 148 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,560 So again, we have that metallic percussion to convey that ice, but now we've started 149 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:53,360 introducing a different type of color. 150 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:59,960 Clara Nets come in at measure 23 and you want to make sure that they tongue that third note. 151 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:06,880 T-Yata, really, really light staccato, crisp notes from all the accompanying parts that 152 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:07,880 are playing here. 153 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,640 It makes me think about like little icicles dropping off or something like that. 154 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,560 Yeah, that's good mental imagery. 155 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:17,720 I would tell my wind players that they are trying to sound like the claves here when 156 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,960 they're playing just those little interjection notes that they're trying to sound like the 157 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,160 claves. 158 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:30,400 Now in this section, this is where I would start to think stylistically about maybe being 159 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,640 a little bit more lifted on the slurred notes. 160 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,080 And then all of this eighth note stuff passing back and forth between Clara Nets and then 161 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,680 we have the altos that come in, the people that are playing on beat two and four on those 162 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:44,680 responses. 163 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:45,680 Again, they're responding to bells. 164 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,960 Bells is on one and three, they're on two and four. 165 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:49,840 You can see they line up with claves. 166 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,040 So again, we want to make sure that we're matching the articulation of that. 167 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,720 At 28, now we've got a new melody coming in. 168 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:02,200 Trumpets are going to lead this charge and with this dotted quarter eight tied rhythm 169 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:06,480 that we have here, even though it's mezzo forte, I would think of those almost being 170 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:14,280 like accented, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, like really firm tongue on the start of each 171 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:15,280 of those notes. 172 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,120 So it's really clear. 173 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:22,240 In the clarinet part, when the clarinets come in, first clarinets, this is a great 174 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,640 spot to teach them to put their right hand down crossing the break. 175 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,680 They're on G sharp, A B, A back to G sharp. 176 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:32,120 That's a great, put your right hand down, make that easier when you're crossing the break. 177 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,200 And that's a really cool effect because it's got the like crescendo, day crescendo, like 178 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:39,640 coming out of nowhere, like a little icy wind coming out of nowhere. 179 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,400 And the euphoniums get it too along with them. 180 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:43,400 That's just a cool little color. 181 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:45,440 Which is a nice color change, right? 182 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:52,960 And then the people that come in on beat four, right, for making that a really intense moment, 183 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,960 you have the same thing that just kind of the same idea, melodic idea that continues, 184 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:58,400 but we start to add more voices. 185 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,160 So it starts to build a little bit in intensity. 186 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,920 You can see we've got bells, vibes and chimes all playing the same thing. 187 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,880 So the volume starts to increase just a little bit. 188 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,120 And then we get to measure 34 where now we have a different percussive idea too. 189 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:14,120 Yep. 190 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:19,800 So at 34, we mentioned at the beginning that Tom is an important part just because of like 191 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:24,640 facilitating the pulse at this speed and playing it really well. 192 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,160 But it doesn't need to be too loud here and cover up your group. 193 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,400 Now we have the same rhythm as before with trombone, but now we've added euphonium. 194 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:38,280 We don't have trumpets anymore, so it's more of like a little bit of a low voice moment. 195 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:43,680 I would encourage my students to draw slashes between their notes in this rhythm so that 196 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:45,480 there's a little bit of space. 197 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:51,120 One and four, one and two, instead of da, da, da, da, da, da. 198 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,320 I think it'll just make it sound a little bit more crisp. 199 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,000 Like we were talking about the ice is falling or whatever here. 200 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:02,240 And then Timpani has the same rhythm, but they get the little melodic part at the end 201 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:03,240 of 35. 202 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,520 And that dotted half note in the low brass, low reeds, like make sure that that goes all 203 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,360 the way to the rest, that we're holding that for three full beats. 204 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:15,080 They breathe on that rest even, but make sure that that sound touches silence. 205 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:20,320 And then again, they continue on in their melody at 36, 37. 206 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:25,480 At 38, we're joining in with some of the upper woodwinds and they're just, they're soft. 207 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,720 They're on top of that voice. 208 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,360 You don't want them to be too loud and it's along with the vibraphone and marimba. 209 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:36,640 And then the new melodic voice coming in is trumpet to horn, clarinet to, like we talked 210 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,440 about at the beginning, they kind of always have the same part as each other. 211 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,360 So they're going to come in and they're the stronger part, low brass get to back down. 212 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,640 They get to be the focal point. 213 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:51,440 Same thing as Laura said with following all the way through from 39 to 40. 214 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:56,680 And then the new voice, melodic voice at 42 is going to be the trumpets. 215 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,720 So we're kind of building it up trumpet and saxophone. 216 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,480 So as you're going, you want to talk to your students about layering here because they're 217 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,560 going to, you know, your low brass going to have the melody back at 34 and go, oh, I'm 218 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:07,560 the melody. 219 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:08,560 Good. 220 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:09,560 I get to play loud forever and ever. 221 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:12,080 But really they're only the focal point for four measures. 222 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:17,000 So make sure you talk to students about layering, even if you need to trick everybody by having 223 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,960 less students play as a new voice moves in. 224 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,880 That's something that a lot of people do if you just have like nine saxes in your band, 225 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,000 which you know, a lot of us do. 226 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:32,800 I would be real mindful in this section, you'll notice that before measure 38, the tuba and 227 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,600 low reeds have an entrance on the end of three. 228 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,480 And that repeats itself a couple of times in here. 229 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,640 So you will want to make sure that they're real comfortable with that kind of syncopated 230 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:44,440 feel entrance here. 231 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:49,560 And the after the first time, that's where Timpani has the one and two or three and four 232 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,720 and and Timpani has that over and over and over. 233 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,200 And, you know, Timpani is a very important part in this piece. 234 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,120 So make sure that that's something that is heard over the band as well. 235 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,600 They're kind of building up that suspense. 236 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:06,320 We're in 43 now, and we kind of have the same thing. 237 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,480 We're still continuing with the trumpet melody and we're building and building with the Timpani 238 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:14,720 part as I mentioned in the and entrance on the end of three, like Laura said, and we 239 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,480 have a big beat four accent for everybody. 240 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:22,120 So we want to make sure that that lines up throughout the whole group. 241 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:26,040 And then 46, it's kind of like quiet for a second. 242 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:32,120 And we have another little waterfall entrance with trumpet starting us out one and two, 243 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:39,560 then trumpet two, three and four, then trombone, one and two, and then low brass, low reed, 244 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:40,800 three, four. 245 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:44,760 And the upper woodwinds come in with the lows, but they're just nice and quiet, lifting 246 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,880 at the end of their slurs. 247 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,920 But you want to make sure the low people are important here. 248 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:58,080 And then this can be this will be a difficult tuning section with F sharps and E naturals 249 00:15:58,080 --> 00:15:59,320 and Cs. 250 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,400 Like I just feel like that's going to take a little bit of some time to make sure that 251 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,800 that sounds really nice. 252 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,520 Bells are coming in with the upper woodwinds too, but make sure again that they're not 253 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:14,280 important chimes are super important at 46 because it's their own idea. 254 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:18,160 And it's like this is the first real big forte moment of the whole piece. 255 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,120 So make sure chimes are super important there. 256 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:25,920 And then we do the same thing again at 49 with the different staggered entrances, but 257 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,240 this time alto sax adds in with trumpet. 258 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:35,880 And then the trombone adds in with the low brass here on their little idea at 50 along 259 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:41,600 with bells and flute oboe clarinet one getting a little bit more active, but again, make 260 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,280 sure that they're not taking over. 261 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:48,320 We want this low voice part to be the most important thing going into 53. 262 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,720 So this whole thing kind of day crescendos and leads us into 53. 263 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:52,880 We're now we're softer. 264 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,080 We have a little bit different, a little bit different idea. 265 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:03,200 The moving eighth notes are going to be important, but really I feel like the melody is happening 266 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,120 in some of these longer value notes. 267 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:08,000 Take a look at the second clarinet part here. 268 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,560 All of this low F sharp to G. 269 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:12,560 I would have my suit. 270 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,000 I would write it in their parts before I handed it to them, but I would have them play right 271 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:21,240 F sharp so that they're only getting movement in one peaky and not having to worry. 272 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:26,520 It's just an easier motion and it's closer to the G anyway, as opposed to using your 273 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:27,520 left pinky. 274 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,040 And again, he did a clarinet and a euphonia moment again for color, which I think that's 275 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,240 I love hear that all time. 276 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:35,480 I love clarinet and euphonia. 277 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,880 Now we've switched to marimba too. 278 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,840 So we've gone from vibes to marimba. 279 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,120 So again, now we have a slightly different color. 280 00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:47,320 We're kind of losing that metallic sound as much and you'll notice that it's written 281 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,160 to be played down and octave lower. 282 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,680 So make sure that your students catch that as well. 283 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,840 We have another trumpet muted section. 284 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,720 Remember anytime we have this, this is an effect. 285 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,600 So it's something that you want. 286 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,040 You want to make sure that they bring out here. 287 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,520 And again, we have this cool like we've talked about already the euphonium clarinet moving 288 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,360 eighth notes, but that's not really the melody. 289 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:10,120 The melody is what's happening in these longer value notes. 290 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:13,760 So they're holding these out for long tide notes for six beats. 291 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:15,440 Make sure we're not losing energy. 292 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,240 I always think about telling my students, students that longer value notes, white notes 293 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,520 need to end slightly stronger than they began. 294 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,880 And that concept really applies in this section right here. 295 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,000 You can see now we've added a little more percussion. 296 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:38,360 Now the saxophones, the saxophone family comes in with this one and four, one and two and 297 00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:39,640 three and four. 298 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:40,640 That part's going to be important. 299 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:44,680 It's almost conversational between what is happening, percussion we've added claves 300 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:45,680 back in. 301 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:51,520 Now, upper woodwinds join us again while the trumpets are taking a little bit of a break. 302 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:55,440 More of this hairpin dynamics up and down on those crescendos. 303 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,160 All those effects are going to be really important. 304 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,000 We get to measure 61. 305 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,040 We're building, building. 306 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:06,840 You can see that clarinets and saxes have a little bit more active part in that first 307 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,440 clarinet. 308 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,200 But that's not the most important thing going on. 309 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:15,800 Clarinets should balance to saxophones, but the clarinet and saxophone part should not 310 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,600 cover up the half notes that are happening there. 311 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,720 Better building like a scalar pattern. 312 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:21,720 Exactly. 313 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,480 And in that clarinet part, you want your first clarinets to make sure they're playing 314 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,680 forked F sharp for that chromatic fingering. 315 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,680 And then I would even have my saxes, my second alto saxes. 316 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,680 This is a great place to have them play covered C sharp. 317 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:36,840 Tonally going from covered C sharp to D. 318 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:42,120 It's just going to sound way better than if they are doing open C sharp to D. 319 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:45,040 So again, that's something that I would write into the parts. 320 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,880 Now the half notes are really where the melody is. 321 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:49,880 Tubas get a cool part. 322 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,800 Tubula reads kind of add in there. 323 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,720 They are answering the upper woodwinds. 324 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:58,720 One and two, three and four, one and two, three and four. 325 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,120 So those eighth notes are passing back and forth, but the half notes are what is most 326 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:03,120 important. 327 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:06,480 The people whose half notes are changing and moving up. 328 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,280 That's what we want to bring out. 329 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:14,080 The snare drum could potentially get kind of too loud in this section because the part 330 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,960 picks up an activity level. 331 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,400 So be really mindful of that. 332 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:19,840 Trumpets come in. 333 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,240 We want the trumpets kind of to be the new dominant voice. 334 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,480 And then this is like one of my favorite parts of the whole piece. 335 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,120 This really cool timpani solo. 336 00:20:28,120 --> 00:20:30,680 The timpani actually gets the melody. 337 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,880 One and two, three and four, one and two and three and four. 338 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:34,880 It's really cool. 339 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,800 The mallet choice on this needs to be a pretty staccato mallet. 340 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:44,080 So there's a lot of clarity and a lot of energy in that timpani part. 341 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:45,920 At measure 67. 342 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,120 So again, now the percussion, now all the percussion are in. 343 00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:50,520 We have everything playing. 344 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:54,960 So it's building, but again, we don't want it to cover up what's going on. 345 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,800 The brass are what have the melody here in this section. 346 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:03,760 The active parts in the woodwinds and percussion need to be underneath that. 347 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:09,240 Because of some of the, the, the accidentals that are written in here, tuning is going 348 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,800 to be, it's going to be something you have to spend some time on making sure that the 349 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:20,920 parts are balanced out really well and that tuning is, is a priority for everyone. 350 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:22,720 Tubas enter at measure 70. 351 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,400 The tubas and low reeds, that's now going to be a really important part because it's 352 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:28,400 new. 353 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:29,600 We have something new and different. 354 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:34,360 But again, all of this still, I feel like is just building momentum. 355 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:40,640 We're just trying to get us to that big, almost climax moment, which is at 75. 356 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:41,980 That's right. 357 00:21:41,980 --> 00:21:47,200 As we are also leading, as Laura was mentioning, all this is kind of the same at 74 though, 358 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,600 we have some really cool like dissonances that are written in the part. 359 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:55,960 So make sure when you have these divisi parts that you're trying to bring that out, just 360 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:59,200 because it's again, building and building and building to 75. 361 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:05,520 When we get there, we have another like scalar melody part on long notes and half notes in 362 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,360 the upper and mid brass. 363 00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:10,520 Low people are not as important. 364 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,280 They're kind of like the counter melody here. 365 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:18,520 And again, the upper people are just interpreting being the ice, you know, just the little twinkly 366 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,360 ice along with bells and vibraphone. 367 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:23,760 So this is like 2D, full 2D band here. 368 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:28,040 You want to make sure that you balance it correctly where you can hear the trontate, 369 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:33,160 the horn, alto sax under the horn, clarinet two. 370 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,840 So make sure the melody part is what you can hear the most. 371 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:43,880 And then as we're continuing into 81, 82, we get a couple more like divided parts like 372 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,520 trumpet two has a divided part. 373 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:50,640 You want to make sure you can hear the G versus the A, make sure that that's something that 374 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,400 comes out of the mix. 375 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:58,720 And then at 81, we're doing a nice, you know, suspended cymbal roll into 83 is like a big 376 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,760 final moment. 377 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:07,040 Euphonium, tenor sax and bassoon get this one, two, three, it kind of like again adds 378 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:13,520 to the excitement and leading into 83, no breath going into 83. 379 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:17,920 And then alto sax alone has this little descending and ascending line here. 380 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,000 So we want to bring that out of the mix. 381 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:24,520 Get all the brass and upper voices out of the way. 382 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:28,920 Horn Euphonium take over with that thought at 85. 383 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,680 When trumpets come in at 86, they don't want to enter too loud. 384 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,880 They need to match the volume of the group before them. 385 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:39,560 And then alto sax takes over again at 87 with the same little thought process. 386 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,320 Everybody else is getting out of the way, decrescendoing. 387 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:49,360 We do have a full, we do have a breath mark written at 88 to 89 in your low people voices 388 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:52,840 so that that way they can be confident when they come back in at 89. 389 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,760 So that's just something to make sure that you circle in the part so the kids know that 390 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,000 that is an appropriate place for them to take a breath. 391 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,440 Everybody else should be leading into 89. 392 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,160 Yeah, that's a good phrasing spot. 393 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:07,080 When we get to 89 now, we've tapered down, right? 394 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,680 So the dynamic is metopiano here. 395 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,480 And all of these little slurred parts that you have, I would put a little bit of emphasis 396 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,000 on the first note of the slur. 397 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,760 Di-ah, di-ah, di-ah, da-da-da, and now this is where we see some of that multimeter, right? 398 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:25,800 So you're going to start to see it layering and adding more people in. 399 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:31,280 But emphasize the first note of that slur then are horn and trombone and second trumpets 400 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:32,280 come in. 401 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,440 That's going to be the new part that's the most important part. 402 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,160 Again, a 2-4 measure in there. 403 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,520 Now we've added upper voices in. 404 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:45,760 So we want the trumpet part to be kind of what's leading us here and you can see more 405 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,280 percussion is being added in as well. 406 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:53,280 I would spend time in this section making sure that we are articulating the same. 407 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:58,120 If we have da, di-di-da, di-di-da, di-di-da, making sure that all of those people are 408 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:02,080 articulating the same, breaking those parts down there. 409 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,920 Again building in intensity. 410 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:11,400 Timpani has a, Timpani and some of the percussion have a huge beat 4, or sorry, beat 3 moment 411 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,080 leading in to 97. 412 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,760 That's going to be really important and they do the same thing again from 97 leading in 413 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:20,920 to 98. 414 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:25,800 So all of this gets us to the big major arrival point at 99. 415 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,040 Now we want to make sure that the people that play the whole notes there, that that is locked 416 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,320 in, the people that come in on beat 2, the trumpets, and the second clarinets, that's 417 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:39,320 going to be really important, balancing those parts and not letting the flute oboe and first 418 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,520 clarinet cover everything up. 419 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:42,840 And the snare drum. 420 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:43,840 Absolutely. 421 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:44,840 This is very active. 422 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:50,640 Same with the bells and vibes as well, like that 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and that it can be 423 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,360 overwhelming. 424 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:56,880 So the longer valued notes are going to be what we're really trying to balance to here. 425 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,760 On this upper flute part too, I would consider having only one flute player play the top 426 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:06,920 part perhaps so it's not so screaming and have everybody else on the bottom divisi just 427 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,840 to help make sure that it's not overtaking your brass here. 428 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,440 Yeah, absolutely. 429 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:18,240 And then when the alto tenor and horns come in, pickups to measure 101, that is going to 430 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,760 be the most important part. 431 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,520 So we want to really emphasize the accented style here. 432 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:24,520 Firm fronts to the notes. 433 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,480 They don't necessarily need to put space between them, but they need to have really firm fronts 434 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,440 to all of those notes. 435 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:36,160 Now we have this same idea, this syncopated rhythm like we have had many times before. 436 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:37,840 Again, the saxophones echoing. 437 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:43,760 We want a big build into those last two measures that end again with timpani, the timpani having 438 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:45,000 the melody again. 439 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:50,280 And this horn sax part 3, 4, 1, 3 is so cool. 440 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:51,920 So make sure your kids bring that out. 441 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:52,920 Sorry. 442 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:53,920 I just love that part. 443 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:55,440 That's absolutely the most important thing there. 444 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:56,440 All right. 445 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:57,440 Timpani is huge. 446 00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:59,040 It has the melody at the end. 447 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,400 You want to really spend some time on the wind players making sure that what they play 448 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:07,560 on beat 2, 4, and then the last note is a little fuller valued rest. 449 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,080 2, rest 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. 450 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:12,920 So just a little more links. 451 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:14,640 Like open throat, like tall. 452 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:15,640 Exactly. 453 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:16,640 Exactly. 454 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:17,640 Don't clip those notes very short. 455 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:22,600 In the percussion in these last two measures, any of your cymbal percussion, I would make 456 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,680 sure that they are dampening all of this so that we have a really clean, crisp ending 457 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:28,680 here. 458 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:30,080 That's a very exciting finish. 459 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:31,280 This is such a cool piece. 460 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:32,280 Oh my gosh. 461 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:33,280 Your kids will love it. 462 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:40,800 Laura and I have talked about possibly doing this with a top band at your winter concert 463 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:46,560 or even a really strong second band if that's where your program is at or if that's a little 464 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:53,480 much programming this for your top band or your second band later on in the UIL season 465 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,480 or even the spring concert season. 466 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:59,240 I know it's called Into the Arctic and you're like, well, that's not very springy, but it's 467 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:00,240 cool. 468 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,680 It doesn't matter that it's winter themed. 469 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,800 Your students will love it because everybody gets to be really important. 470 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:07,960 It's exciting. 471 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:08,960 It's just a great piece. 472 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:15,440 So we hope you will consider programming Into the Arctic into your new year. 473 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:30,760 Well, thank you so much for joining us on this episode of Band BFFs.