CMP Teaching Plan

Emily Heidelberger

Play!
Carl Holmquist
C. Allen Publications – Grade 4/5:30

Broad Description
Play! is a swing feel piece that

Composer Biography
Carl Holmquist a composer, conductor, and music educator that is currently working
as the director of bands at H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Virginia. He earned
his Bachelor of Music Education from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN (whoop
whoop go MN). Carl has entered many composition competitions including the 2006
Claude T. Smith Memorial Band Composition Contents which he won first place for
Play! Holmquist’s compositions span a wide range of abilities and ensemble types.
His works for bands are published by C. Allen Publications and AWM Publishing. In
2008, Carl was a part of the Young Composer Mentor Project sponsored by the
National Band Association.

Background Information
Play! Is part of a larger four-movement work called Symphony No. 1: A New Orleans Symphony. The entire symphony is based on the
city of New Orleans after they experienced Hurricane Katrina. The movements of the symphony are “Jackson Square,” “Storm,”
“Lament,” and “Play!” Play! Was premiered before the complete symphony and functions as an independent piece. This piece
connects most to the first movement which introduces the “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” melody. The first movement of the
symphony depicts the spirit of New Orleans and ends with the melody that is the primary tune in Play! “Storm,” the second movement
is aggressive and violent which depicts the rushing waters, flooding city, and levees breaking. The third movement, “Lament,” is
mournful and reflects the many feelings after the hurricane left and people assessed the damage done. “Come Though Fount of Every
Blessing” is present in movement 2 and 3 but has been transformed to fit the mood of each movement. Play! starts with clarinets alone
which represents those people that saw the silver lining in such a devastation. As the piece progresses, more instruments are added to
symbolize a resurrection of the city and the hymn melody is stated in its entirety.

Elements of Music
Measure Meter Form Melody Rhythm Harmony Timbre Texture Expression
and
Tempo
woodwinds snare Light Thin and When
Fl, clari, multiple everyone in
141-150 snare focus a group is
4/4 160 Fugue
points trying to
talk at once
woodwinds Brass Light and Woodwind
To F full + brass
151-162 Fugue
4/4 160 Horn and accomp.
climax
tbn dense

Piano, horn Brass= Brassy and Smooth The group

1, Euph choral resonant and has come
WW=theme Horn resonant up with a
163-178
¾ 160 Hymn A 1 collective
In F idea that
includes
everyone

2
 Piano, horn Brass= Brassy and Smooth A good ol’
1, Euph choral resonant and sweeping
WW=theme Horn and resonant choral
179-193
¾ 160 Hymn A’ 1 and 2 tbn

Piano, Tpt, Brass= Bright and Building

horn 1 and choral brassy tpt breaks
2, Euph WW=theme tpt through
194-206 1 and 2 texture
¾ 160 Hymn B

brass woodwinds Rounded Driving Sugar high

and full and
207-222 brass building,
¾ 160 Hymn A’ full

Fl, ob, Bsn, t sax, b Articulated, That last

clari, S sax, sax, horn, clear, and burst of
223-227 a sax, all tbn, euph, light energy
4/4 160 closing tpts tuba Upper from a
woodwinds sugar high

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The Heart Statement
The collective unity created by the sweeping choral theme that binds with themes 1 and 2.

Introducing the Piece

I would start with an introduction to style because many band students may not have any experience with playing in a swing style.
This way they approach learning the music in a swing style instead of playing it straight then having to go back and correct what they
have learned. I would also emphasize the need for lightness and playfulness so that the piece doesn’t slow down. After a few runs,
then I would tell the story and meaning behind the piece so they have musical aspects in their ear to make connections to.

Affective Outcome:
The students will analyze how different communities react to disasters and compare it to musical elements in Play.

Strategies
 Define disaster and different kinds
 What disasters affect my community?
 Hurricane Katrina history

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  Draw what you think Holmquist is depicting the community doing in each section. How do you know?
Assessment
The students will choose a natural disaster and research the community and country’s reaction. Then they will create a relationship
diagram that connects how that community’s reaction compares or contrasts with the one Play is depicting.

Skill Outcome:

Strategies

Assessment

Knowledge Outcome:

Strategies

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Assessment

Recommended Recordings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykP59mP9v58 Style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3zV_qD9tgA
This is the recording I would use for high school because the group demonstrates the jazz style well. Also, all the entrances are heard
well in the recording. This recording also shows some of the “modification” that can be done such as having a limited supply of
percussion equipment and taking the tempo down but not losing the energy.

References
https://soundcloud.com/carlholmquistcomposer/sets/symphony-no-1-a-new-orleans

Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Volume 8

http://carlholmquist.com/Portfolio.html

Works for Winds

Commonwealth
The Quiet Light
Highland Verses
From the Banks to the Blue Ridge

Glossary of Terms
Hurricane Katrina:

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Fugue: a theme introduced by one voice and imitated by other voices in succession, voices overlap and weave
Swing: American style of jazz music, eighth notes performed like dotted eighth sixteenth,
Conviction: a firmly held belief or idea

Sang through, studied, and marked parts (check off as completed)

Piccolo Cornets/Trumpets 1st Violins

Flutes Horns 2nd Violins
Oboes Trombones Violas
English Horn Euphoniums Celli
Bassoons Tubas String Bass
Eb Clarinet Harp
Clarinets Timpani
Alto Clarinets Snare Drum Sopranos
Bass Clarinets Mallet Percussion Altos
Contra Bass/Alto Clarinet Remaining Percussion Tenors
Saxophones Piano Basses