Brynnpark Productions

Level 1 - New Age Anthem by William Owens

Bb throughout. 4/4 throughout. 1 2&3 4 most prevalent. Low sounds sometimes enter on 3. Triangle, timpani (which has double stops), cymbals, bells, BD, snare. Subito pianos. Dynamics are emphasisMore info: downfall is right before and after m. 28. Didn't hear 1 director point out that the full band has counts 3 and 4 as rest while percussion has 8th notes (m. 27) and then LB has the melody and that's where most bands crashed. Directors concentrated on the woodwinds rhythms which is about the opposite of the LB (don't remember more than 1 part has quarter - half - quarter while the other group has a different grouping of that). Other than that spot, it's pretty straight forward and bands did really well. m. 28 is the downfall but it is playable if your LB doesn't chicken out.

 

Level 2 - Block Party by William Owens

Key of Eb...NO ACCIDENTALS! NO tempo changes or other funny business. Very straight forward. Per William Owens, there are NO dotted quarter-eights! Very playable!More info: Low Brass melody - "something tells me I'm into something good" and I think a variation of Skip to my Lou? There is a section where the LB takes the melody but it's not that bad. Many 1's for this piece.

 

Level 3 - Tribute and Celebration by Robert Bruce

Key of Eb throughout. 4/4 throughout. Andante at the beginning. Fermata at end of measure 4. No ritardando. Fermata 2/3 way in . Allegro afterwards still 4/4. Syncopation is 1 & & 3, 4. Accents on the &. Very playable by level three standards. More info from TYB...First 30 or so measures andante sostenuto. First five measures unison throughout the band. Two fermatas followed by a grand pause. Minor articulations to watch out for. Second half of the song is allegro with repeated syncopation rhythms. Concert Eb throughout. Triangle part mimics bass drum part, although there are times when triangle plays alone-strictly quarter notes/rests. Extremely playable song, even if you don't leave the room whistling the tune.

 

Level 4 - Highclere Castle by Clifton Jones

Key of Bb to start. March style. Most prevalent rhythm is 1 2&3 4. 1/3 of way through has 2 measure ritardando (4 quarter notes, whole) ending with fermata and cesura. Switch to Eb. Legato. Rhythm stays same. A-natural accidentals. 2/3 of way through has 2 measure ritardando (same as before), ending with fermata and cesura. Switch to 3/4. Waltz style. Melody has 1 2&3 rhythm. Accompaniment enters on 2 (half note). Ends on fermata.

 

Level 5 - Appalachian Melody by Timothy Rhea

Similar to Wayfaring Stranger. There are two time signatures and two keys. Fermata in the middle of a piece and there are 16th notes in the low brass. More information from the Yellowboard: Key signature is Eb for most of the piece. Goes to F near the end. It is minor. A few accidentals Db and E natural. 4/4 - Moderato with rit. into Andante Legato. There is some echoing so make sure to point this out. Fermata and cesura. 2/4 allegro. Very repetitive rhythms. The key changes to F without warning (no fermata or rest, etc.) Nice melody, pretty straight forward. More info on Level 5 - the beginning starts with three flats (Eb) but it's really C minor, and it is in 4/4 time. It is slow and the melody of Wayfaring Stranger may be in there. There are lots of ties across the bars so watch out. They happen in the low brass. There are several forte pianos throughout and in the middle of the piece there is a fermata. Key of Bb but it's really g minor, and the time changes to 2/4. It moves a little quicker but not too much. There are 16ths in the WWs, Trumpets, and the low brass. The ending is the trickiest part becasue there are several entrances on the & of 2. There is no timpani part. Was told the toughest thing was the holding of ties across the bars and the end which hand the entrances coming in on the & of 2. They said it was very playable but it does have a few pit falls.

 

Level 6 - Wind Sprint by Michael Worthington

Tough by playable. Allegro tempo through out with a molt rit near the end. E flat and F. Lots of accidentals leading into the final key change. Basically 4/4 thought out with a 3/4 measure thrown in. Challenging but very readableMore information on Level 6: Eb – F4/4 time, one bar of 3/4Not a long piece at all.IntroWW melody over Tpt/Horn or Tpt/Tbn rhymic motif,Tpt/Alto Sax repeat melodyThere’s a long-note WW melody that’s more the “ballad” section but no real slow section because there isn’t a tempo change. Make sure all quarter notes are held out and counted through.There’s a L’istesso tempo but that means same tempo at the time change. But other than one bar of 3/4 (and that’s supposedly not where this marking is), there’s no time change.In Tpt/horn or tpt/tbn rhythmic motive, it’s important to hold out beat 4.There’s a multi-measure low brass rhythmic motive that’s a bit tricky with a rest on 1 in the middle of the pattern.It's a fairly accessible piece. One of the most accessible ones in recent years.