The 2016-17 Philadelphia Wind Symphony concert season has just been announced! Concerts are free to all audience members; see www.philadelphiawindsymphony.org for directions and details. Hope to see you there!

The Wilbur Watts Intermediate School Choir achieved 3rd place in the More FM Christmas Choir Competition and were featured on NBC-10:

Hello all! I’m happy to announce new products on Teachers Pay Teachers, just in time for the beginning of the school year! Presenting Artist Profiles: Popular Music. Contains brief biography handouts on significant musicians spanning multiple genres and decades. Also includes section highlighting the artist’s musical style and catalog of their most famous songs. Perfect for any general music or performing arts class at the elementary through high school level. Check it out at the following link:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Artist-Profiles-American-Popular-Music-1402896

This series of handouts contain brief biographies of some of the most significant musicians of American popular music. Various styles and genres are represented across decades of music in pop culture. Each biography contains a section on the artist’s representative musical style and a short catalog of their most famous songs. Biographies include:

Adele; Alicia Keys; Beastie Boys; Beyonce; Bob Dylan; Bob Marley; Britney Spears; Christina Aguilera; Elvis Presley; Eminem; Garth Brooks; James Brown; Johnny Cash; Justin Timberlake; Lady Gaga; Led Zeppelin; Madonna; Metallica; Michael Jackson; Nirvana; Ozzy Osbourne; Ray Charles; Run-D.M.C.; Shakira; Stevie Wonder; The Beatles; Tupac Shakur; U2; Whitney Houston

As the school year gets ready to begin, teachers are looking for new materials to energize their classrooms and provide quality instructional means for all their students. As such, I have created a series of texts to assist with the teaching of Music History, covering all aspects of musical culture and written for the middle to high school students. These resources can also help students who are interested in pursuing music in college to gain a strong foothold on their upcoming coursework. Presented on Teachers Pay Teachers, the Teaching Music History contains the following texts:

• Music in Prehistoric Times
• Music in Ancient Egypt
• Music in Ancient Greece
• Chant in the Middle Ages
• Secular Music in the Middle Ages
• Music in the Renaissance, c. 1400-1600
• Music in the Baroque Era, c. 1600-1750
• Music in the Classical Period, c. 1750-1825
• Music in the Romantic Era, c. 1825-1900
• Music in Modernism, c. 1900-2000
• Jazz Music
• Music in Film
• Music in Video Games

In addition, separate handouts are available detailing the lives and music of influential composers throughout history are available. These Composer/Artist Profiles are perfect for biography mini-lessons and also come with a list of selected works that best represent that particular composer’s musical style.

These materials are available at Teacher Pay Teachers; click on the picture below to access the site:

Well, it’s that time again. Time to break out the shorts, enjoy sleeping late, and more time to practice your instrument! And in preparation for the summer of getting ready for those winter auditions, what could be better than working on your technique by taking lessons? Whether you’re a student preparing for that All South Jersey audition in December, or an adult who’s always wanted to try for the first time, I’d be happy to help you reach your goals. I provide anywhere from 30 minute to 1 hour instruction for students of all ages and ability levels. In addition, I’m also pleased to offer a FREE half-hour introductory lesson!

To find out more information, including scheduling and pricing, please feel free to call at 609-707-2465 or e-mail at andrew.lesser@yahoo.com!

Hello everyone!

I’m happy to announce that the final concert of our second season at the Philadelphia Wind Symphony will be held on Sunday, May 19th at 3:00 pm in the Levitt Auditorium at the Gershman “Y” Theater in the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA. We will be guest conducted by Dr. John Pastin, who serves as the Director of Bands at Rowan University.

The concert will showcase the following works:
David Maslanka – Give Us This Day
Camille Saint-Saens/arr. Singleton – Danse Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila
Ernst Toch – Spiel, Op. 39
Vincent Persichetti – Psalm for Band
Claude Debussy/arr. Sparke – The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Percy Grainger – Molly on the Shore
Claude T. Smith – Eternal Father, Strong to Save
Cesar Franck/arr. Stauffer – Le Chasseur Maudit 

Directions and more information can be found at The Philadelphia Wind Symphony’s website at www.philadelphiawindsymphony.org.

I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

– Andrew

Well, once again, September is upon us, and the sounds of pencils sharpening and notebook paper turning is filling our schools all over. Reading, writing, and arithmetic may the core subjects of our nation’s priority, but don’t forget about the arts! While more and more arts programs are being relegated to fewer and fewer schools, or simply being eradicated from entire districts, it’s comforting to see so many students getting interested in participating in chorus, band, general music, and other musical activities that truly enrich their lives. The joy of practicing an instrument or working on singing that next chorus tune is certainly better than sitting on the couch watching TV or playing video games. Not only does music require multitasking, higher-level thinking, and dedication, it’s also incredibly fun! So if your music program is in danger of being cut, there are a number of ways that your voice can be heard. Organizations like the National Association for Music Education (NAfMe) and the New Jersey Music Teacher’s Association (NJMEA) are always doing their best to show schools just how important music is in a child’s life, and simply visiting their websites can give you information as to how to support your local music program. As the great Greek philosopher Aristotle once said: “Music has a power of forming the character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young”. More than two thousand years later, that statement still holds as much truth now as it did then”. So get as much out of the beginning of this school year as possible and get involved in the arts. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

– Andrew

Hello all!

I would like to cordially invite you to the next concert of the Philadelphia Wind Symphony: “Visions” on Tuesday, May 8th at 7:00 pm at Levitt Auditorium in Gershman Hall, located at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Our program will include:

Early Light – Carolyn Bremer
Angels in the Architecture – Frank Ticheli
Noche Sabrosa – Al Blatter
Fanfare and Flourishes II – James Curnow
Hymn to a Blue Hour – John Mackey
Symphonic Songs for Band – Robert Russell Bennett

Please visit http://www.philadelphiawindsymphony.org/ for more information, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there!

The second concert of the Philadelphia Wind Symphony will be held on Sunday, March 4th at 3:00 pm in Caplan Hall, located at the University of the Arts in Center City. Directions and ticket information can be found at www.philadelphia windsymphony.org.

Program:
Overture to “La Forza del Destino” – Verdi/arr. Lake
Symphony No. 3 – Giannini
Children’s March: “Over the Hills and Far Away” – Grainger
Mandalen Landscapes – Sparke
Scenes from “The Louvre” – Dello Joio