Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 14 Important Differences in Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophone Most students have little difficulty adjusting to the larger saxophones, since the differences in these three instruments is not significant. As the mouthpieces get larger, the student must take more mouthpiece in the mouth and the embouchure is more relaxed. Tenor saxophone players must understand their instrument is pitched in a different key from the alto and baritone saxophone. The alto saxophone bell should be pushed forward to the thigh on the right leg, but for tenor/baritone saxophone the instrument should hang at the hip. The larger saxophones do typically use a harder reed (3 ½ - 4 Vandoren) than the alto saxophone. Due to the tenor/baritone saxophone being much heavier instruments, a padded neck strap or harness is recommended. It is vital that the larger saxophones learn to blend inside the ensemble sound. Tenor saxophone should be inside the trombone/euphonium or bassoon sound and the baritone saxophone should be inside the tuba or bassoon sound. Hopefully you will find some of the teaching strategies discussed in this article useful and can find ways to incorporate some of the ideas into your current teaching methods. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact me at info@ txmaa.org . Greg Countryman retired in 2019 after being a band director in Texas for 35 years. For the last 18 years, he was Director of Bands at Fort Settlement Middle School in the Fort Bend ISD. He is a native of Decatur, Alabama, where his music career began under the direction of his father, Jerry Countryman. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University and a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Houston. The Fort Settlement Band has been a state finalist in the TMEA Honor Band Competition five times, chosen Best in Class at the Festival at the Falls ten times, a recipient of the National Wind Band Honors Award, awarded the 2009 Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Cup, performed at the National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis and was the 2012 Texas Bandmasters Association Exemplary Middle School Band Program. Mr. Countryman was previously Director of Bands at Quail Valley Middle School where the band was selected to perform at The Midwest Clinic in 2000 and chosen as the 2001 Texas Music Educators Association CCC Honor Band. Mr. Countryman has presented clinics at the TBA and TMEA conventions, The Midwest Clinic and for the TBA Professional Development Series. He served many years as the Middle School Band Coordinator for TMEA Region 13, is a Past President for the Texas chapter of the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity and Past President of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Mr. Countryman is currently the Executive Secretary for the Texas Music Adjudicators Association and is an active clinician and adjudicator. Single Reed Success ( Part 2 ) Make Plans for San Antonio! TBA Convention/Clinic • July 23-25, 2020 Registration opens online February 10, 2020 www.texasbandmasters.org