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Samantha Fay
Level One
On Wings of Song- Mendelssohn Dr. Bulls Juell- Bull Queens Alman- Byrd Menuetto- Mozart Entracte- Schubert
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Sustained notes and slurs, Intervallic leaps as far apart as 6ths
Finger Facility: Proper use of forked F in relation to Ds and Ebs, Vast majority of Fs forked (or left), but not all, Fast notes- grace notes
Articulation: slurred verses tongued, tenuto, legato tongue, Tonguing changing notes verses tonguing repeating notes
Expression: Basic expression such as following marked cresc./dim, Flow and line- very connected to articulation
Other: method books probably have not introduced grace notes or compound time by this point in a students career
Posture, breathing, and support: breaths are marked in, but they might actually be too frequent
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: leaps up to a fifth, starting on a low D, tapering
Other: six eight may not be very familiar to students at this level, even if it is counted in six, but this could be a good opportunity
Posture, breathing, and support: Breaths are marked I four bar phrases
Expression: hierarchy of accents in 44 time, short notes moving to longer ones, DC al fine
Other:
Menuetto- Mozart
Posture, breathing, and support: breathe can be used to propel through the repeated notes, breath marks are marked in seemingly reasonable places
Finger Facility: G major, some chromatic notes, many scalar passages, and occasional leaps
Articulation: many repeated notes that need to be articulated stylistically and scalar passages that need tongue to line up with tongues
Expression: long notes and repeated notes need forward motion, and no time is too early to start talking about phrasing, even in simple terms. Dynamics are marked P and F
Other:
Entracte- Schubert
Finger Facility: This is the first out of the album that is in Bb, which although comfortable for many beginners does come with its own set of fingering problems.
Articulation: Slurs with staccatos under them confuse everyone, not just beginners, but this piece calls for smooth articulations and smooth slurs through intervals.
Other: some syncopationseighth note followed by quarter or ties over the bar line.
Level 2
Minuet- Nicholas Amani Orientale- Cui
Other
Orientale- Cui
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Leaps over an octave, slurring down to low notes
Expression: Moving through faster finger passages, keeping the line though fast moving notes
Other: Syncopations
March- Handel
Posture, breathing, and support: breaths are marked, and the mark style leaves opportunities for breathing in plenty of places as long as they are well planned. Other: Beginning band students know marches, this is a very comfortable option, but I really dont see much unique potential for learning here. A Handel march isnt quite the same as a Sousa march, but there are definitely better options for level 2s than this one.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Nothing too complicated here, some larger tongued leaps.
Finger Facility: C major, simple melody, only fast finger work required is in trills, simple dotted eighth 16th passages, and written-out turns.
Expression: marcato is marked at the beginning, so the march marcato style must be kept in mind throughout the piece without specific reminders
Level 3
Mosquito Dance- Mendelssohn Arioso- JS Bach (CCC) Two Menuettos- JS Bach (CCC) Gavotte- Goedicke (CCC) Aria& Rondinella- Handel (CCC) Menuetto & Presto Haydn (CCC) Piece in G minor- Pierne (CCC)
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Endurance needed- no significant breaks, Downward octave leaps
Finger Facility: Navigating frequent key changes- keeping track even in simple keys, Requires comfort in use of C# key, a difficult finger stretch, No forked Fs required, even in CM section!
Articulation: Almost constant articulation cant get in the way of musicality/tempo, what kinds of articulation help to portray lively
Expression: Musically choosing how much to change tempo at a little slower or slower and back to a consistent a tempo, Change tempo and dynamic independently, Using articulation as a tool towards expression, not a hindrance
Other:
Arioso- JS Bach
Concert and Contest Collection
Posture, breathing, and support: Long slurred passages. Some breaths are marked in, but students must also take into account in verses out breaths and make a breathing plan that works for them and the music, even if that is different from what the editor marked.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Embouchure must allow for smooth skips under slurs
Finger Facility: No particularly fast finger work, but some trills, accidentals, alternate Fs
Articulation: smooth articulations necessary, and also knowing when to articulate and when to slur as marked
Expression: Many opportunities for expression. More dynamics can and should be played than just the pianos marked. Also performance suggestions listed at bottom of page provide interesting stylistic advice and background for a young player.
Posture, breathing, and support: support necessary for large upward leaps and connecting moving notes under slur
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Embouchure adjustment and flexibility necessary
Finger Facility: Many moving notes, some accidentals, could potentially get fast, but cannot get sloppy. Although there are no specific technical challenges a true allegretto tempo would make this more technical than many level 3s
Articulation: Menuetto style is driven by articulation and much attention should be paid to them. Clean and crisp but not too short or accented.
Expression: Student should explore what to do dynamically and musically in sequences where no specific instructions are marked
Other: break between two sections may be helpful for student struggling with endurance, although if repeats are taken piece will still be quite long
Gavotte- Goedicke
Concert and Contest Collection
Posture, breathing, and support: Breaths are marked in to aid in phrasing, but as always may need adjustment by student
Finger Facility: If taken in a quick cut time, this piece could also be relatively technical. G#s tend to be unfamiliar to young students, but the problem of choosing Fs is generally taken out of the equation in GM, which helps. Excessive courtesy accidentals may be confusing at times.
Articulation: the biggest articulation challenge in this is the difference between staccato 8ths and staccato 4trs, and not being tricked by the small changes in articulation patterns in 8th note groupings/
Expression: Articulation should propel the piece forward, the general feel, no matter what the end tempo is, should be light and dancing.
Other: Cut time can be challenging to students who are unfamiliar with it, but that should not get in the way of learning the piece.
Posture, breathing, and support: support, even at PP is vital for largo (and all music!) and tonguing in the wind will be important for faster articulations
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: There are some big skips at the end of the Allegretto Scherzo. Also tone quality is important in slow music. Since fingers are easy, that gives the opportunity to focus on other things
Finger Facility: The allegretto scherzo doesn't specify if it should be in 1 or three, but there are some fast moving notes there. Practicing the GM scale in thirds could help a lot.
Articulation: Articulations should vary between first and second sections. Differentiating between staccato, accented, and unmarked notes in Allegretto Scherzo.
Expression: Accentuate contrasts between movements and between repeats! Start trills from the note above.
Other: This piece is set apart from many other level threes because of its contrasting movements, which is a really appealing opportunity to practice style and contrast and work on well-rounded musicianship, especially seeing as so many students work on NYSSMA pieces for so long at a time. It also gives the opportunity to talk about baroque style, trills, anticipations, turns, written out ornaments. And Relative Minors.
Posture, breathing, and support: Large intervals, ascending and descending, tongued and slurred, air must support through them, not back away.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Embouchure flexibility a must for large interval slurs, up to an octave in range.
Finger Facility: If the Menuetto is taken at a reasonable tempo, the sixteenth notes will be pretty past. They arent difficult finger patterns, but regular F is a must!
Articulation: Articulations between Menuetto and Presto should be different. But how?
Expression: opportunity to discuss stylistic changes within Menuetto (and trio) and relative minor concept.
Posture, breathing, and support: long phrases, and long notes that must be supported through, regardless of range.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: tapering and control on long notes
Finger Facility: wide range of appropriate tempo determines how much finger facility is necessary. Many arpeggios and scalar turnarounds.
Articulation: articulations are simple, but must portray style and meaning.
Other: Another great piece, high quality writing, not just a transcription, very different feel from the baroque ones
Level 4
Sonata in C Major-Loeillet Elegiac Dance- Michael Head Allegro Moderato- Haydn (CCC) Sonatina- Mozart (CCC) Colloquy- Schwarz (CCC)
Sonata in C Major-Loeillet
Expression: Requires knowledge of baroque stylehow to handle ornaments, what articulations are appropriate to the style. Is Adagio at the end of the Largo movement supposed to be faster or slower? Is it a sudden or gradual tempo change? Italian Largo cantabile Adagio Allegro Largo espressivo Dolce espressivo allegro
Posture, breathing, and support: Long phrases, need shaping and support, especially in Largo Cantabile
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Incredible endurance necessarily if repeats are taken fully
Finger Facility: Many scalar and arpeggiated passages. Trills, mordents, grace notes, turns.
Articulation: Very wide variety of articulations required: tenuto under slur, accent, staccato. Use of articulation for expression/style
Posture, breathing, and support: Long slurs and phrases, Honoring marked breaths and adding your own
Articulation: Soft tongue, grazia and dolce. Differentiate between slurred and tongued while maintaining grace.
Posture, breathing, and support: Upward leaps of an octave or more require solid support
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: High Ds, large leaps require embouchure flexibility and awareness of pitch within intervals.
Finger Facility: scalar passages require fast, even finger work, with F# or natural.
Articulation: Accents, staccatos, etc. need to be performed in a classical style, which is not necessarily the same way as they would be in a band setting. Haydn isnt the same as Sousa.
Expression: this piece has a relatively small stylistic palette, since it is a single movement, but that means that more attention can be paid to mastering this particular style, with the marked dynamics and articulations, as well as attention to shape and phrasing.
Other: This is probably the easiest four our of the concert and contest collection
Sonatina- Mozart
Concert and Contest Collection
Posture, breathing, and support: support through long and short notes, not giving up on the airstream between eighth notes/eighth rest repetitions High Ds may show if support is adequate anywhere else.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: High Ds in second and third movement, including notorious B to D slur, students at this level should be thinking about pitch and intervals, and maybe even vibrato. The opening long notes are perfect places to introduce vibrato.
Finger Facility: Finger facility is important and some notes do move quickly, luckily fast notes tend to be scalar and GM or CM, but there are some tricky parts with left (forked) Fs and chunked scales in thirds and arpeggios
Articulation: Light, classical articulations required, staccatos should not be too short or severe, but should lend character
Expression: this piece has plenty of opportunity for expression, the editor has given guidelines of dynamics and articulation, but the movements also have the potential for distinct personalities, and the second movement really requires thought of expression, not just in dynamics, but emphasis and intention.
Other:
Colloquy- Schwarz
Concert and Contest Collection
Posture, breathing, and support: support is necessary for a confident sound, especially when intervals are not what are expected
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: No hugely large leaps, but many slurred intervals that need to be smooth, pp final gesture requires delicate balance of air support and embouchure. Tapering is always important.
Finger Facility: Fingers do not have to move particularly fast, but they do need to move through unfamiliar progressions of notes and finger combinations. Music reading ability is particularly important because it will be all but impossible to just follow patterns and intervals and make it though
Articulation: Variety of articulation necessary, accent, staccato, staccato after slur etc.
Expression: Expression is so important for this piece to keep it sounding cohesive and intentional. The small cadenza is a great opportunity for students who have never had the opportunity to use musical freedom and make decisions for themselves before, in a smallscale controlled setting. Expressive marks are clear and frequent throughout piece, so the student has no shortage of guidance.
Other: Mixed meter, especially 7/8 is very tricky to count, alone or with piano, and requires a really good sense of beat and subdivision
Level 5
Sonate for Oboe- Hindemith Concerto in C minor- Cimarosa Concertante- Paladilhe Handel Sonatas No. 2&3 Concerto in f minor- Telemann Three Romances Schumann
Posture, breathing, and support: Good fundamentals of posture, breathing, and support are vital for maintaining sense of phrase through large and unusual intervals and long phrases.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Embouchure must be able to smooth through intervals and span a wide range.
Articulation: Wide variety of articulations needed, but no particularly fast tonguing required. How do articulation and style need to adjust for modern music verses what the student is more accustomed to?
Expression: How do you find the beauty in the music? How do the different notes connect and relate to each other? How can you maintain a sense of line, phrasing, and forward motion despite a very slow tempo? Translating German performance instructions
Other:
Posture, breathing, and support: Support important for high notes, fast octave jumps, tonguing on the air to maintain line
Finger Facility: Fast playing (and coordination with tongue) in both fast and slow movement
Articulation: Variety of articulations, Fast repeating staccato articulations necessary in fast movements
Other:
Concertante- Paladilhe
Finger Facility: Facility required for fast notes, high notes, and fast high notes. Enough facility required in fast cadenza notes to allow expressive taste to dictate cadenza and rubato feel, not finger facility. Expression: Following expressive marking and adapting them to fit into your musical ideas , Having musical ideas beyond those clearly marked in ink on the page, Requires higher level understanding of musicianship for an expressive, successful performance.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Facility required for large leaps (slurred and tongued) in different ranges including to and from High C, D, Eb, and E.
Articulation: Articulative palette needs to allow for stylistic changes throughout the piece. Consistency through registers
Other: Learning with accompaniment may present some challenges, triplet/8th note overlap etc.
Finger Facility: Ornaments in slow movements need to be smooth, and fast movement sixteenth notes need to be secure.
Posture, breathing, and support: frequent repeating notes and sequences require breath suport and direction
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: tapering ends of notes, holding long notes in tune, and beautifully
Finger Facility: F minor gives frequent challenges with finger coordination and planning of alternate fingerings
Other:
Finger Facility: the lack of fast-moving notes is what makes these pieces so deceptive, but it is still important that fingers can move smoothly and decisively with no blips or breaks in the sound.
Articulation: articulations must be clean and clear and placed with intent to propel the phrases forward, not just to break slurs and make time to breath. Beauty and clarity of articulation cannot just go out the window when one is out of breath, although this is much more easily said than done.
Other:
Level 6
Sonata for Oboe and Piano- Poulenc Sonata for Oboe and Piano- Saint Saens Concerto in C for Oboe- Benedetto Marcello Six Metamorphoses after Ovid- Benjamin Britten Concerto in C- Haydn Concerto for Oboe and Strings- Vaughn Williams
Expression: Using articulations to drive style in scherzo, forward motion, tone color, vibrato. Meanings of names of movementsElegie, Scherzo, Deploration
Other:
Posture, breathing, and support: You cant fake breath support if you are ever going to play a high F# or G, not to mention spending an extended time trilling or playing unbroken slurs. Breath and support are essentual for runs to speak and expression and artistry to come through. The time time a student is playin this piece, posture needs to be a non-issue.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: A flexible embouchure is vital for the B and D octave leaps in the third movement, as well as high note work and even the more innocent looking bell tones in the opening. Embouchure must also facilitate good intonation.
Finger Facility: Finger faciliity is huge in this piece. The runs in the third movement are not easy, neither are the flourishes in the first.
Articulation: As always with music of this caliber, variety and quality of articulation is key. To perform movement 3 at a very high , true allegro MOLTO tempo, a very rapid tongue is necessary, but to play the piece at the high school level at a more conservative performance speed, this piece does allow for a lot of practice with fast finger work that is separated from the tongue, which could be beneficial for some students.
Expression: Emphasis, priority, and line is essential to the first movement. Much attention should be paid to expression In the third movement, the music must move forwards even when there are short areas of rest. The long trills must not be stagnant.
Posture, breathing, and support: Breathing plan in first movement needs attention, especially in and out breathes. Support necessary all around, through slurs or articulated passages, just the same.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Smooth, flexible tranisitons between intervals and ranges and ednurance are both key, as well as intonation, tapering, etc.
Finger Facility: Embellishments require much facility, scales, arpeggios, alternate fingerings, etc.
Other:
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Supporting through lines, tapering, playing senza vibrato at the end of Niobe, and changing tone color between and throughout movements are all necessary to pull off these pieces.
Finger Facility: Finger facility though fast flourishes, and long fast passages, even those that dont fit cleanly into commonly played scales and arpeggios is vital. Even the slow movement is written with five flats, smooth use of left F and Eb, forked F, side Ab etc. are all required.
Other: No student should ever prepare this for NYSSMA without working on Pan, it really is an indispensable way to learn counting and rhythm and flow and freedom and confidence, and so many things. But it is understandable why it would be difficult to judge in a formal setting like NYSSMA.
Concerto in C- Haydn
Finger Facility: This is why we practice scales! Like most classical music, scales, arpeggios, scales in thirds, etc. are really prominent and really helpful to be familiar with, comfortable with, recognize, and even have memorized. Articulation: Articulation is important, but all of the sixteenth notes in the first movement are slurred, which is a huge difference from the Mozart Concerto. That means that when there are articulations, they are that much more important, and there are plenty of opportunities for fast tonguing in the third movement! Expression: this music has so much character and contrast between movements and the included cadenzas provide so much opportunity for expression, but it could be difficult to find the point in music that at some times seems to much more technical exercise than melody. It might not be a good choice for a student who struggles with playing musically.
Posture, breathing, and support: Good support and wellplanned breathing is essential for intonation, tone, style, everything. They cant lag when notes get fast or during easier sections
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Embouchure must tranisiton between registers quickly, easily, and seamlessly. Note endings must be beautiful and in tune
Other:
Posture, breathing, and support: this first movement is so long, with long phrases, high notes, and long sections and short breaks. Fundamentals are everything here.
Embouchure and other matters of tone production: Slurs to night notes and back, moving quickly through large ranges, tongued or slurred,
Finger Facility: Finger facility is so important, scales, arpeggios, changing keys, very fast movement in and outside of cadenzas
Other: