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BrookWright Music was launched in June 2020, not long after the start of the Covid pandemic. Following months of isolation, a few fortunate musicians, depending on location and local guidelines, were able to go out caroling over the Holiday period. Playing alongside other musicians in a public space had arguably never been more appreciated, and the need for accessible and familiar music for small, flexible groups to perform all year round had never been greater.
Out of this period came a new idea – to create a flexible book, a ‘carol book for the rest of the year’ in essence, that could be used by as few as five brass or woodwind players. The plan was to include 120 of the world’s most famous melodies for all occasions, big or small, formal or lighthearted, indoors or out. More than this, without being watered down, the majority of the arrangements should be accessible and playable by intermediate groups or above. To select these tunes, BrookWright consulted a wide variety of band directors, teachers and performers to come up with a comprehensive book that covers music from various parts of the world.
What resulted was All Tuned Up, a resource designed to provide ensembles with everything they could possibly need, and all in one small book. Tunes are drawn from genres including Classical, Hymns, Folk and Patriotic amongst many others to form a book that will cover a variety of events and, importantly for school bands, providing teaching lessons on style, technique and sound. These range from classics from the likes of Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky, through much loved hymns and spirituals such as Amazing Grace, Great is thy faithfulness and Swing Low, to patriotic numbers including America the Beautiful, The Star-Spangled Banner and Stars and Stripes Forever, folk songs such as Auld Lang Syne and O Danny Boy, and even Happy Birthday! Part 1 also includes Taps, The Last Post and Reveille for any memorial occasions.
For those bands who venture out of the school building, these tunes will also be useful for a wide variety of occasions, such as Weddings, Funerals, Graduation Ceremonies, Parties, Proms, Memorials, Street Playing and Thanksgiving. In fact, the contents pages feature several helpful indexes including alphabetical, by suggested occasions and by alternative titles.
While the general harmonic format is in five parts with optional percussion, a number of additional transposing parts are included so that virtually any combination of instruments could be assembled. With additional cued note included to thicken the harmony, the books will also work well with larger groups. Full scores are available in letter size, while the parts come in handy band sized books.
All Tuned Up is available as both digital PDF download and printed hard copy. To find out more and to purchase this resource, please visit https://www.brookwrightmusic.com/all-tuned-up
