Randall Standridge Beginners Rock - Standridge - Concert Band - Gr. 1

Composer: Randall D. Standridge
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: Concert Band
Level: 1

Educational goals of the work:

• Rhythmic stability
• Articulation differences between: Tenuto, Accents, Staccatos
• Basic rhythms including: Dotted Halfs, Halfs, Quarters, Dotted Quarter/Eighths, Eighths
• Repeats: Navigating both basic repeats and a D.C. al Fine

I have been a full time composer so long that sometimes, I think, people forget that I started my career as an educator. I was a band director for twelve years in Harrisburg, AR, and when I say I was a band director, what I actually mean is I was THE band director (for eight of those years). I taught from 5th grade recorder band all the way up through my senior band. However, without exception, my favourite classes of the day were always my beginning band classes. Teaching them their first songs and watching their excitement grow as their abilities blossomed was the highlight of my career, and a facet of it that I miss very much. I wrote the first draft of this piece when I was teaching them as a kind of "end of the year" showcase. It never failed to bring the house down and to leave the students excited about what they will learn next. I hope it does the same for yours.

Remember, no matter how bad your day is, you get the opportunity to make music with the coolest kids in the school.

Beginners Rock!

Peace, Love, and Music.

- Randall Standridge