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    Welcome to The Concert Band

    This web site is dedicated to college and secondary school concert and wind bands. It contains information about the various instruments employed, as well as hints about band training (including technique and intonation), conducting, the physical laws the govern sound production, and anything else I think the young musicians who play in these bands might find helpful. Some sections (such as the one on interpretation) are more for band directors than players, of course, but overall I have tried to include something of interest to just about everyone.

    There is also a large section devoted to the activities of the Brass Band Jenderal (BBJ), a Salvation Army band based in Medan, Indonesia. If you are interested in this Band, click here.

    Some of the information on this website has been extracted from my book entitled The Band Director's Handbook: A guide for College and Secondary School Band Directors in Southeast Asia. The book also includes additional chapters on pedagogy and the varying characteristics of different wind band instruments that are not included in this website. It also has a chapter devoted to writing arrangements and transcriptions for wind band. To order a copy of my book, see the publication details below.

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    BBJ stands for Brass Band Jenderal. It means “The General’s Band” in English. The band is based at a Salvation Army Boys home in Medan, Indonesia. Sometimes called “The Medan Band” by foreigners, it was given the name BBJ in 1989 by General Eva Burrows (the Salvation Army’s international leader at the time) when she met band members in Bandung, Indonesia Read about it here.
    This is the section where I intend to post a variety of articles expanding on subjects not discussed in detail on other parts of this website. Click here.

    This website includes several free scores for both wind and brass band that you can download and use with your band. One of my favourites is an arrangement of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus that I wrote for brass band. To take a look as the music, click here. To take a look at the other scores currently available on this website, click here.

     

     

    This book has been written in response to the need for a comprehensive yet affordable guide for wind band directors. It is a practical manual, dealing with the principles of embouchure formation, tone production, and articulation for every major brass and woodwind instrument. Special chapters are also devoted to the fundamentals of conducting and writing transcriptions. In every case, the idea has been to approach the subject matter from the point of view of the non-specialist.

    You can purchase the handbook online

    http://www.mphonline.com.my

    Or From The Amazon.com

     

     

     

    This section discusses some of the basic principles involved in getting beyond the notes and interpreting the music.  Not all of the principles outlined here need to be understood by band members in order to produce a musically pleasing performance. However, the conductor certainly needs to be aware of them if he is to bring out the best in his band! Click here.
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    BBJ ensembles face music exams

    BBJ ensemble exam 2014

    There was a mad scramble on the morning of the exam when band librarian Yunus Marbun realised that he could not find the original copies of the music for the primary group to present to the examiner.

     

    Two BBJ quintets and one sextet were examined by officials from the London-based Associated Board of the Royal School of Music (ABRSM) in Medan on Sept 5. The two brass quintets entered in the intermediate category (approximately grades 6-7) and the sextet was examined in the primary category (approximately grades 4-5). 

    There was a mad scramble on the morning of the exam when band librarian Yunus Marbun realised that he could not find the original copies of the music for the primary group to present to the examiner. Without them, the sextet (which for the first time in BBJ history included a percussionist) could have been disqualified.

    Frantic SMS messages between Medan and Singapore followed as I tried to give him suggestions about where to look. Finally, about one hour before the exams were due to begin, Yunus found the music among the documents he had taken back from the Music Camp in late July.

    The exams, held at Medan's Aryaduta hotel, were the first ensemble examinations faced by BBJ members since 2009. The groups were nervous as they waited for the exam to begin.

    Waiting for the exam to begin

    The three groups practiced their pieces during the music camp held at Berastagi (a highland area about four hours journey outside Medan) in late July, where they were taught by myself and a small group of more experienced BBJ members. Special thanks must also go to BBJ tuba player Lasnointer Marbun, who is currently studying music at Yogyakarta's Institut Seni Indonesia. Two weeks before the exam he flew to Medan to help the students with final preparations.

    In medan, the examiner was Mr Kevin Bowyer.

    And the results? The sextet was awarded the C+, while the two intermediate level Quintets both achieved B+. Congratulations to all!

     

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