Music Bands Should Play

[LKendrick]

There's a pretty fun thread like this on DCP that's a fun off season discussion topic.  So why not do a high school version?  Basically just list some music you'd like to hear a certain high school play.  I stuck to ones that seem to have a very clear niche or type of music they play.  

 

Cedar Park:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5zg_af9b8c

 

Listen to those opening/closing strains and tell me you wouldn't kill to hear Cedar Parks sublime brass play that?  Nough said.   

 

Cedar Ridge:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rRtdvxJD9g

 

Ironically played by them.  Haha.  They based their drum feature around a pretty fantastic percussion ensemble piece by the same composer Jacob Remmington in 2016, I'd love to hear them use more literature from that idiom.  Because their percussion is of course second to pretty much none as a full ensemble.  Some of the absolute best ensemble percussion playing going on in the HS and even College World right now.  They're being taught by master teachers.  

 

Flower Mound:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQYN2P3E06s

 

Okay, this would have been something to use in 2016s show for sure.  But that doesn't discount the fact that they do epic music REALLY well.  

 

Hendrickson:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebuD_F-8EM0&t=1584s

 

This is of course sacred ground for Texas High School Bands (LD Bell 2007) but I've been killing to hear it again and for some reason I think Hendrickson would be just right.  

[LKendrick]

Keller:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Fgx5jb4uA

 

Yes, it has been used quite a bit as of late.  But I haven't heard a version of it that I think has used it in its full potential besides a tag at the end of a show.  Keller has shown the last two years they do big, beautiful, and accessible really well and that is written all over this John Mackey work.  

 

Leander:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5U9577N-dQ

 

Okay...maybe not this piece in particular.  But I absolutely adore what they've done with Phillip Glass and music with a very minimalist tone, and I think Steve Reich is RIGHT up their alley.  I hope they keep being super fresh in their musical choices.  I love it.  A ton.  

 

Marcus:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsI0yTC7bic

 

One of my favorite high school musical moments of recent memory is Cedar Parks use of this in 2015.  I could totally see Marcus using the whole thing, building a show around it, and being totally faithful and performing it pretty impeccably.  Their attention to detail would REALLY make this shine.  

 

North Shore:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md9BRPRQeKQ

 

North Shore has one of my favorite things, a brass section that pumps out that HUGE drum corps-esque brass ensemble sound.  I can definitely hear them doing the end of this as a closer after how they did Elsa's in 2015 and Great Gate in 2016.  

[LKendrick]

Vandegrift:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIQ2D6AIys8

 

I'm pretty shocked this hasn't been used more.  And given Vandegrift's incredible delicacy and intricacy their brass section plays with, I think this would make a pretty incredible ballad for them.  

 

The Woodlands:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80zAE8MibBs

 

They have killer brass, I'd love to hear them take on some Paul-Lovatt Cooper.  

[zururoua]

I want to see a band with Balmages's Summer Dances as an opener.

[Magma31651]

Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, as a closer

[bcanimal]

I think Pavarotti - Vesti La Giubba would be a cool piece for a band to play 

[LeanderMomma]

I think an entire show centered around amazing video game music would be awesome. The music is phenomenal in video games, and the themes a band could base on the gaming industry are practically unlimited! Come on TX BANDS, one of y'all DO IT!

[MadisonBandMan1]

I would love to hear balmages's "Moscow, 1941". That is an amazing piece, although fairly easy.

[MadisonBandMan1]

Oh man the power of that song would be awesome!

[LKendrick]

  On 5/18/2017 at 10:59 PM, LeanderMomma said:

I think an entire show centered around amazing video game music would be awesome. The music is phenomenal in video games, and the themes a band could base on the gaming industry are practically unlimited! Come on TX BANDS, one of y'all DO IT!

(I just saw this because I was a slacker over the summer).

 

If there is a treasure trove of untouched amazing music it's from video games. Now I'm gonna have to go find my favorite stuff and post it on here.

 

[LeanderMomma]

  On 9/13/2017 at 3:00 PM, LKendrick said:

(I just saw this because I was a slacker over the summer).

 

If there is a treasure trove of untouched amazing music it's from video games. Now I'm gonna have to go find my favorite stuff and post it on here.

 

 

Ha ha!  I even emailed my "idea" to the Leander directors last Spring but I don't think they were interested.    (I'm sure they rolled their eyes because you just gotta KNOW they get TONS of unsolicited advice from band parents).  

 

But seriously, my girls are video game freaks and my youngest (who is 18) has even purchased video game sound tracks because she loves the music SO much.  And I admit that I do as well.  (My son in law is a graphic artist at Bethesda studios so video games are a big topic in our household!).  

 

There is a weekly program on our local radio station (Austin's classical station KMFA) that focuses on film score music which I just love, and every now and then he will do a program based on video game music.  There is some incredible video game music out there....I just don't know if people realize that!

[Bandnerd03]

  On 5/18/2017 at 10:59 PM, LeanderMomma said:

I think an entire show centered around amazing video game music would be awesome. The music is phenomenal in video games, and the themes a band could base on the gaming industry are practically unlimited! Come on TX BANDS, one of y'all DO IT!

This is aging me quite a bit, but Westfield did an entire Final Fantasy show in 2004, the year after they won GN. It was one of my favorite shows, but unfortunately I can't find a video of it anywhere.

[takigan]

Daniel and I have both been known to gush profusely anytime a band performs video game charts.  Especially if it's Final Fantasy music.

I remember sitting in my room at 9 years old "streaming" the music from Final Fantasy VI onto a casette tape so I could listen to it on my Sony Walkman (True 90s kid right here).


Westfield 2004 has long been one of my favorites (as well as 2005 where they mixed Uematsu's work with Eric Whitacre).  Other bands/corps that have done final fantasy music:

Cedar Ridge 2010 (their 1st year open...they did music from FF8 and FF13)
Blue Stars 2005 - Pixelation (mostly music from FF8)
Colleyville Heritage 2016 (a selection from FF7 and FF12)
A band from Indiana (It was either Ben Davis or Lake Central or something around 2010....they did music from FF7 as well)

There have been a few others I've seen.  I'd have to look over old blogs to find more.

There was an open class corps that did a chart from Chrono Cross not too long ago as well.  I think it was 7th Regiment or Lancers?  I can't remember....

[LKendrick]

  On 9/13/2017 at 3:44 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Ha ha!  I even emailed my "idea" to the Leander directors last Spring but I don't think they were interested.    (I'm sure they rolled their eyes because you just gotta KNOW they get TONS of unsolicited advice from band parents).  

 

But seriously, my girls are video game freaks and my youngest (who is 18) has even purchased video game sound tracks because she loves the music SO much.  And I admit that I do as well.  (My son in law is a graphic artist at Bethesda studios so video games are a big topic in our household!).  

 

There is a weekly program on our local radio station (Austin's classical station KMFA) that focuses on film score music which I just love, and every now and then he will do a program based on video game music.  There is some incredible video game music out there....I just don't know if people realize that!

 

I'm also a video game freak, there's some seriously awesome stuff out there.  Two off the top of my head that I think would translate well in addition to the Christopher Tin one in my original post:

 

 

 

I think the Journey soundtrack, the game itself in terms of story, and the visual aesthetic would make for an incredible show but that's just me.  

[LeanderMomma]

  On 9/13/2017 at 7:16 PM, LKendrick said:

I'm also a video game freak, there's some seriously awesome stuff out there.  

 

 

Do you play Fallout 4 at all?  My son-in-law did a lot of the art in that game.  <proud momma-in-law moment>

 

But I'm so glad someone agrees with me that we need a band to do a video game storyline for a marching show!!!  

[MadisonBandMan1]

My band has a Final Fantasy piece in it this year.

[LeanderMomma]

  On 9/13/2017 at 9:57 PM, MadisonBandMan1 said:

My band has a Final Fantasy piece in it this year.

I'm looking forward to hearing your band this fall. Which competitions will y'all be at?

[MadisonBandMan1]

BOA mcallen, Judson rocket review, UIL, and BOA SA.

 

PS. This is also our first time going to more than one BOA contest.

[LKendrick]

  On 9/13/2017 at 8:30 PM, LeanderMomma said:

Do you play Fallout 4 at all? My son-in-law did a lot of the art in that game. <proud momma-in-law moment>

 

But I'm so glad someone agrees with me that we need a band to do a video game storyline for a marching show!!!

I love love love Fallout, and yes I've played through Fallout 4......more than once. That is pretty awesome!

[LeanderMomma]

  On 9/13/2017 at 11:57 PM, LKendrick said:

I love love love Fallout, and yes I've played through Fallout 4......more than once. That is pretty awesome!

He's a pretty talented guy. Super proud of him!

 

www.ilyanazarov.com

[Derwitz]

I've arranged a DCI show with mostly video game music. I'm only a junior in high school atm (I did this almost a year ago).

you can listen to it at

 

It's not very good as it was my first attempt at creating a DCI show, arranging drumline, and transcribing complicated music by ear, but it does provide a small insight into what video game music could sound like on the field.

[takigan]

More stuff from my research:

Mansfield Legacy 2007 "The Extreme" (Music from FF7 "One Winged Angel", FF8 "Liberi Fatali" & "The Extreme", and the Main Theme from Halo)

Richland's 2007 show "iShow" also used the main theme from Halo.



Corps:
Horizon D&BC 2016 - "Clash on the Big Bridge" from FF5
7th Regiment 2009 -  "Lavos Battle" from Chrono Trigger
Allegiance Elite 2000 - "Liberi Fatali", "Force Your Way", "Don't be Afraid", "Tell Me" (!) & "The Oath" (!) from FF8.
Impulse 2007 - various music from FF7