Arranging for Band

I had the unique privilege of having an arranging junkie as a high school band director. (Although I'm sure that my extremely mild-mannered, staunchly anti-drug, and lovably nerdy Mr. B. would not appreciate being dubbed a "junkie.") Through the years he arranged our entire pep band book and all of our marching band shows. We did not play a SINGLE canned arrangement in all four of my years there. He even wrote an original "senior composition" for the jazz band every year to feature the graduating seniors. When I was in high school, that was just the norm. I never realized how special it was that he arranged all that music just for us.

Fast forward to present-day Emma. Five years past high school teaching all aspects of a 5th-12th grade band program in Smalltown, America. I enjoy arranging a lot, and I had no qualms about putting in the work because my high school band director utilized home-brewed arrangements to such great success. At this point, my motivation for arranging for band has been twofold: 1. to create literature that suits the level and instrumentation of my groups and 2. to help students "buy in" to what I'm trying to sell.

My first arranging foray for my groups was at the end of marching band season. The pep band library is a mess: there are no complete "master sets" for any of the tunes, and there is only a handful of tunes where every book has the printed parts. Plus, the tunes we do have are pretty old and stale. So, I arranged--WAIT FOR IT-- Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," Usher's "OMG," Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction," and Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" all for pep band. I went on a mad arranging spree because I want to develop a more solid pep band repertoire and create tunes that will be playable by my developing high school band and the middle school band when they join in the pep band fun. You would not believe the response that these tunes got. It was like band Christmas for these kids to play pop music. I got a "you're the best band director ever!" We even played our new "Bad Romance" arrangement for a Halloween parade competition and placed second, our highest ranking in any event all year! (Which is ironic because we scrapped our old parade tune in favor of this one just three days before the competition, hmmmm). Of course, I do feel a little bit coercive and backward buying these kids' approval with junky pop music... but that's another post!

My second arranging project has been creating a version of "the 12 Days of Christmas" for my sixth graders to play on our holiday concert. Of course, with this being band, it is subtitled "On the twelfth day of Christmas, Ms. B. gave to me..." I altered the lyrics to the following scheme:

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Ms. B. gave to me,

12 drummers drumming (drummers play only)

11 woodwinds playing (ww's only)

10 brass a-buzzing (brass on mouthpieces)

9 ladies playing (girls only)

8 boys a-blowing (boys only)

7 bones a-sliding (trombones play a lick with a juicy glissando)

6 kids a-counting (1, 2+ 3+!)

5 SLIDE TROMBONES! (harmonized brass)

4 saxophones (sax soli)

3 broken reeds (squeaky squawky clarinets and alto saxophone+ ratchet in percussion)

2 clarinets (clarinet soli)

and a flute in the key of C! (harmonized tutti refrain)

At first, I passed out an arrangement that only included the introduction, all twelve days, and the coda. That way, they could learn the technical aspect of their part without adding the hullaballoo of playing the whole thing. I framed it like a video game. "Okay guys," I said, "imagine this is Level 1. For Level 1, we have to get all the notes and rhythms right and count entrances correctly. If you pass level 1, it will prove to me that you are ready for level 2 where you get to play the whole song in order with all the different days."

After they passed "Level 1," I passed out the full arrangement, and we played it through with good counting and correct entrances (Level 2). To spice it up, we added one more element of humor (Level 3!). At the end of the eleventh day, I would cut them off and bow as though it were the end of the piece. When I turn around to acknowledge the band, they all have their hands raised, and I say "What is it, band?" To which they respond (their words), "Yo, Ms. B! What's the dealio?! There are TWELVE days of Christmas!!" At which point I appear horrified by my mistake, jump back on the podium, and count them off at a fast clip and we play through all twelve days at lightning speed. We are still working on Level 3 (playing the entire sequence fast with controlled technique, solid counting, and good sounds), but they LOVE IT! They are so excited to get through the entire song, and they are counting rests, watching me, and having an absolute blast with all the silly elements of the arrangement. To top it off, I plan to create a slide show with the lyrics and photos of the kids to go along with our performance.

As a new teacher with a developing program, arranging has been worth the work (and I'm getting pretty fast at it!). My groups get to play music that is written with their success in mind. It works for our instrumentation and for our ability level. They also get to be on the front line of my creative process. I will ask for feedback and let them know that "this is a rough draft, I am working to make it better." Perhaps the most exciting part though, is that this is a very tangible way for my students to see the hard work and effort I put into them because I care. On all of my arrangements, I have started to write "Arranged for the 2010-2011 Smalltown High School Marching Band" or "Arranged for the 2010-2011 Smalltown Middle School 6th Grade Band." One of my sixth graders said, "You put in all those notes?? This piece is 130 measures long!! That must have taken forever! You're AWESOME!" "No, you're awesome!!" ::high five::

So. Worth. It.