Director's Corner...

Daniel Anthony Kuch

Roseville Community Band Director (RCBD)

October 21, 2025

Hello Bands People:

It was sort of a hard rehearsal to go through last night (I realize some people were feeling discouraged about repetition on parts where people did not know the music) -- and they will continue to be hard if we don't PRACTICE our parts...  I ask you to please learn your parts as well as you can -- EARLY!!!

As it was, though, it was a fine rehearsal.

Last night I promised you a recording of "A Calypso Christmas".  Here you go.  One thing you must do, is, once you click or copy this to your browser, is click on the dark blue "Sample Audio" underneath, the blueish "Instrumentation" -- if you can't get this to work, call me and I'll help you out:

https://www.halleonard.com/product/4000530/a-calypso-christmas

I will record the recording and play it next week across my newly purchased "Bluetooth Speaker".

This is the most "Accurate" performance of this piece that I could find on the internet...  I listened to a lot of them, and I could not find a better one -- one with articulations, and emphasis on the jazz phrasing, with notes that are written long, to be long, and notes that are accented, a hooded accent ( ^ ), to be short (and cut off with your tongue).  You can look for this song on the internet, in fact if you have time and want to get into this, do it, and you will see for yourself that each band does something that is inaccurate to the writing of this arrangement (which I think is a very good arrangement).  My compliments go to Calvin Custer and Hal Leonard Corporation!

Anyways -- it's a fun song to play, but we have to play it correctly...  No band that I conduct will play this piece incorrectly (miss articulations) ... It's TOO MUCH FUN to play CORRECTLY!!  Yes!!!  Let's do it!

Talk soon,

Dan Kuch

RCBD

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Some other stuff:

Salute to the Armed Forces - 1st One

OR:

Salute to the Armed Forces - 2nd One

Do not use the above as an absolute (if you decide to practice with this); but rather use it as a reference, not a model to copy exactly.  Because, the cutoffs at the end of the phrases are not there; they should be distinct.  The cutoffs are not distinct on this recording.  They hold onto each note without cutting the note off -- without ending the phrase.  I am a stickler on this, as you all know.  So please remember my rehearsal instructions for phrasing and cutoffs.

Star Spangled Spectacular (Wow!  This performance is "spectacular"!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQmQ5u6oEU

Semper Fidelis (It's so good to listen to - you just can't stop!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgABUZ4i9co

Some other beautiful arrangements of these pieces, which you should all be listening to, because these pieces are so very precise and exact, I want everyone to listen to their "Precise Cutoffs", and dynamics... It is excellent:

⭐🦅⚓ ARMED FORCES SALUTE ⚓🦅⭐ #veteransday 

...and I know the ever-important TROMBONES will appreciate this one (it is not the cutoffs that I am looking for, but it is very cool):

A Trombone Salute To The Armed Forces 

Then, what kind of wind ensemble director would I be if I did not include woodwinds?  Salute to the Armed Forces played by a woodwind quintet is a rare find.  But here is an excellent performance of one that hits the mark or comes very close. Here is a curated lineup featuring woodwind quintets performing patriotic medleys and tributes to the United States Armed Forces. This is a good arrangement for woodwinds:

Patriotic Medley for Woodwind Quintet (plus one!) 

Here is a recording of my daughter's recital:

Josianna_Recital_04-26-2025_PianoSolo_andAccompanyingDad

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This is a good arrangement of "Chorale and Shaker Dance", by John Zdechlik:

Chorale and Shaker Dance recording 

...and here is the conversation that I had with one of the trumpet players about the artistry of "James Morrison"; it is just amazing!

Here is one which demonstrates his ability to play polyphonic notes on the trombone:

James_Morrison_PlayingMultiphonics_OnTrombone

...and here is James Morrison playing on the trumpet and piano:

James_Morrison_Playing_Piano_and_Trumpet

...and here he is on the trumpet and trombone:

JamesMorrisonTrumpetAndTrombone

...and this one is really wild....  He is an "Entire Band"....  Amazing!!!

JamesMorrison_He_Is_The_EntireGroup

The selections that I list below, are pieces, that I want you to be listening to.  The first one is the band composition "Pictures at an Exhibition, movements VIII, and IX.  Its URL is:

Pictures_At_An_Exhibition

So, either you can mouse click on the above, or copy it to your browser.  If anyone doesn't know how to do that, I'll be able to explain it to you sometime when I have my computer with me.

Another song I want you to listen to is "Chorale and Shaker Dance":

ChoraleAndShakerDance

Then I might place some selections that are just good listening aids at the bottom of each email (or I might just leave them there).  You can refer to them to listen so that you can become a "Sharper" musician.

GOOD LISTENING AIDS:

Pictures at an Exhibition - An excellent piano performance:

PicturesExhibition_ExcellentPianoPerformance

Please, note the telephone ringing as she sits down -- funny!

Flight of the Thunderbirds - Richard L Saucedo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGOfzghqFPU

Cloud Dancing - Richard L Saucedo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIXWAvQLPdA

Into the Clouds - Richard L Saucedo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHwqHZ-hzuQ

Another fine arrangement of "Pictures at an Exhibition" to listen to is this orchestra arrangement -- So you can get the entire experience of the whole group -- it is with a Conductor's Score".

Pictures_at_an_Exhibition_Orchestra