FJHmusic.com > Instrumental Music > Feedback Forum        Want to share your comments about a piece you've read or performed? Would you like to give us comments about this website? This is a place to discuss the FJH instrumental catalog with other directors and students. We'd love to hear about your experiences with instrumental music from FJH!    Click here to post your comments Comments: << | Previous Page | Next Page | >> Comments on: Sojourn This piece is fantastic! It brings to mind so many vivid images. All of the colors and harmonies are paced just right to really move you. Very expressive! Blair High School Director Comments on: Urban Dances I am a student here in Georgia and my band just recently started to learn this piece. I am only in 8th grade and it is quite hard but we love the challenge and it's coming along good. I noticed that you say that this is a Grade 4 piece but my band director just told us that it was upgraded to a grade 5 and I thought I would let you know. I love this piece and can't wait to perform it at the end of the year. Conner Student GA Comments on: Summer Dances I loved every moment of this piece. It evoked a very strong reaction from me, yielded vivid imagery... I don't know all the theory behind what makes this piece so interesting, but it is a great piece all the same. It was a joy to listen to, entertaining in performance, and educational in rehearsal. There were some very difficult parts that I and my section had to work on, but when we finally figured everything out it sounded amazing and was worth every sectional we spent. I loved the inner-section harmonies, like the sax section with the groove in the middle, and the brass section fanfare. My absolute favorite part was the clarinet soli though, with the triplet harmonies... It always sent chills down my spine. I highly recommend this piece. Amanda Student WA Comments on: Egmont Overture I found this piece to be enthralling. The opening in F minor is contrasted brilliantly with a flat major. Something which is not often found in the classical style. Sean MacLiam College Director Comments on: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Chris Sharp writes well for high school bands. This arrangement is no exception. This particular chart makes no pretense of being a jazz festival number - it is simply a retro 50's tune with a lot of audience appeal. It is ideal for a Christmas program. The arrangement is in the style of the 'sock hops' of the dances in the gym in the 50's and 60's While not overly difficult, it has enough variations to make it interesting for even a more advanced high school group to rehearse and perform. We ran through it a couple of times in rehearsal with the North Fort Myers School of the Arts Jazz Knights, and we performed it five or six times the following week at various community events. It was very well received by all age groups. There are a lot of published arrangements of Christmas tunes but there are only a handful that I would consider programming - this is one of them. Even if you have only limited prep time and at least a mid-level high school group, this is an excellent choice for your Christmas program. Bob Quatman High School Director FL Comments on: Beyond the Summit Amazing song and I am honored that I was in the first band to play this piece. The piece was created for my high school band director James Paxton at Dulaney High School. It was a great song to have him go out on. Just glad to have been a part of it! John College Student MD Comments on: In Heaven's Air Waukee Middle School's 7th grade band is doing this song and it is a beauty. It expresses a lot of emotion. It has a wonderful tune and melody. Sarah Student IA Comments on: ...Not Afraid to Dream This song brings back so many memories for me of Kevin. He was an amazing person and i was honored to be the first band to play his song. Sarah College Student MN Comments on: Themes from the New World Symphony We're learning this piece for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony here in Michigan. Definitely a great arrangement of Dvorák's classic. Jake Student MI Comments on: ...Not Afraid to Dream I go to the school that commissioned this piece. I absolutely love it. It sums up the way the student lived. it's an amazing piece and i hope lots of people get the opportunity to play it. it means a lot to the students at my school that this was created! Holly Student MN Comments on: Passacaglia on an Old English Carol I am currently playing this piece in my Wind ensemble and love it. I think it is a wonderful piece that was composed with much thought. The main melody is passed around from section to section, but goes through different variations. This song goes through two main moods. One is a darker sadder mood which the low voices play (and the flute actually) and the other mood seems to be almost angry from about measure 53 to 98. This song also has some beautiful cords and I would definitely recommend it for ensembles. Nikkie Student IL Comments on: Through Darkened Sleepy Hollow This is my favorite piece that I have played in band all year. It's full of excitement and it really makes your heart beat fast. Even if someone didn't know this story they would be able to produce picture of it in their head by listening to it. Erik did a wonderful job writing this piece and the storytelling in it is brilliant. Katie Student NY Comments on: FJH website I just wanted to let you know how much I love your website. It was so easy to use. I love how you can view the scores and listen to the pieces on line. I also love how you can save a wish list so you know what you listened to and liked! I have you added to my favorites! Keep up the good work! Holly Gedeon Elementary School Director OH Comments on: Among the Clouds This is such an amazing piece, and though we didn't perform it to perfection, our hearts and souls were in it - we wanted it to be beautiful. It really gives the feeling that one is soaring; it is an uplifting piece. And it is wonderful for everyone - there are beautiful woodwind, and brass parts. Admittedly, I found the French horn part and the clarinet part(s) the most beautiful. And then there was the fugue... I really don't know what to say about it, except that I love it. It is one of my favorite pieces of music, that I have ever performed. It is magical. I wish that I could play it again with everyone. Yeah, well. I suppose there's really nothing left to say. Except that Brian Balmages is brilliant. Truly brilliant. Ellen Student MD Comments on: Madrid We performed Madrid on last nights concert and the band and audience really enjoyed the music - so much fun, passion and excitement. Mr. Morales did a wonderful job on this chart! Robert Medina High School Director TX Comments on: Storm Surge We are playing this song in my intermediate band class. It is very fun to play because you are always on the edge of your seat and ready to play this piece. It is also very fun to play because as teenagers you can relate to it with the rage of emotions going up and down constantly. I play the flute. Neha Student UT Comments on: Santa on the Housetop Well written at a playable level for beginners. My students like it. Thanks. Gordon Hanson Elementary School Director CA Comments on: Invictus This piece is the best piece i have ever heard. It is so beautiful with a mixture of textures. I love especially love the middle part with the piccolos and flutes. As, a 9th grade flute player myself, i would recommend this piece to anyone Stephen Student NE Comments on: Roswell, 1947 This piece is one of my all-time favorite songs I have ever played. I am a trombonist and this song is one of the only pieces I have played that really engages a trombone as a key instrument. Also, this piece has so many different parts, is like an overture. Even though my band only has about 25 people in it, we are still able to pull off this song and get a good sound from it. Thanks for making another great piece! Estrada Student CA Comments on: The Q.C. Shuffle I played this my 8th grade year with a full Jazz Band at the middle school level. We played this out several time and always got wonderful comments back on it. It can be a bit challenging at times, this is more of a high school level song, but it shows off each section and they all come together very nicely at the end. A must for any jazz band! Anne Student OR Comments on: Among the Clouds I'm in a program at New Jersey City University called VPA or the Visual and Performing Arts. Among the Clouds was one of the pieces we played and from the moment I heard it i fell in love with it. Something about the deep melodic and enchanting sound just drew me in. It immediately became my favorite piece and still is! Autumn Student NJ Comments: << | Previous Page | Next Page | >> Click here to post your comments  About Us :: Composers & Writers :: Contact Us :: Conventions & Workshops Piano Adventures® :: Piano Music :: Guitar Music :: Concert Band Music Jazz Ensemble Music :: String Orchestra Music :: Solo & Ensemble Music Canzonique Music :: Percussion Music :: :: Home Copyright © The FJH Music Company Inc.