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Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by Panicking Director on 1/7/2025, 6:28 pm

We've had some major and sudden changes to the program (and they are still happening). We need to find the absolute easiest grade 2 FAST as we have an early CSR and a lot of none rehearsal days tossed at us. It needs to be something that would be easy to put together and:
a) doesn't have critical sax parts (alto and/or tenor)
b) doesn't require low woodwinds

We cannot do the following (we've done them recently):
Danza de Espana
Colliding Visions
Expectations
Japanese Pictures
Looking Up

I looked at every single grade two in the PML since the we were made aware of these changes (well, the ones I could since not every thing is online yet in 2025) and can'd find anything. Surely, I'm missing some. Here's what I have:

Flutes - Strong (don't lack any confidence)
Clarinet - Strong-ish (also don't lack confidence)
Alto Saxes - Weak is being generous, and I'm losing my strong ones
Trumpets - Decent but lack confidence
French Horns - Strong, confident
Trombones - Decent but lack confidence in upper range (top line Bb and above)
Euphonium (only 1) - same as above but may not have them for much longer
Tuba - Do their job, but only have two and it may only be one soon
Percussion - Can play anything you put in front of them.

No double reeds or low woodwinds and I don't have any to spare to switch.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by small school on 1/12/2025, 8:53 pm, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

Noticed something I didn't know...

Pirates of the Barbary Coast by Timothy Loest is listed as a Grade 2.

I played it four years ago with my 7th grade band at a little 1A school. Some independent parts but not too bad overall. Clarinets double the altos for the most part. Trumpets have a little separate melody towards the end. A little meat in a melodic line for your lows.

What about Tanchozuru by Standridge? Very easy grade 2 piece. Alto doubles flute/clarinet mostly.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by WTX Retiree on 1/10/2025, 3:15 pm, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

This one ^^^ Standridge Afterburn ^^^

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by Solution on 1/9/2025, 2:39 pm, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

Afterburn: Relaunch by Standridge

Added this year. Everything (yes everything) is doubled.

No low wws? No problem, Low Brass can take care of it. Horn part covers alto part.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by Me on 1/9/2025, 9:15 am, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

Blue Sky Horizon
Medieval Legend
Egyptique
Knights of Dunvegan

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by DesertJazz on 1/9/2025, 7:19 am, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

A couple I haven't seen listed by others.

La Rejouissance (I haven't done this one before, but know others who have sworn by it being one of the easier ones)

The Piper and the Captain - I've just about pulled this one off with our NV HS Band years ago. Hard to find recordings, email me if you can't find one stevenrash AT gmail.com

Egyptique - It's not overly difficult, but if your kids can't find the key and the chromatic notes don't play it. It's the same line over and over again, and if you miss it once we know you're toast by the first fifteen measures.

Another option depending on your past ratings at your school might be to enter a classification lower? Instead of as a Varsity, enter as a non-varsity? If you can play a Grade 1 instead there are a few more pieces that might fit you. I honestly would be considering not going to UIL otherwise.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by Careful on 1/11/2025, 7:59 am, in reply to "Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2"

La Rejouissance is easy, note-wise.

It's not as simple style or technique-wise.

But it's still on the easy side for a Grade 2.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by HCBD on 1/8/2025, 5:25 pm, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

Colliding Visions - Balmages
Danza de Espana - Chambers
Shepherd's Hey - Roszell
Expectations - Clark

Some of the easiest on the list and pretty good music as well. May not fit your instrumentation perfectly but can be adapted.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by HCBD on 1/9/2025, 11:24 am, in reply to "Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2"

I apologize, I should have read your post with more care. I wondered why people were not recommending the tunes I listed.

Some others to look at could be:

Storm Mountain Jubilee - slightly more challenging than the ones I listed before, but smaller instrumentation.

Eventide - Matt Conaway

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by WTX Retiree on 1/8/2025, 12:43 pm, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

I really feel for you on this. Hard to find any grade 2s that fit your current needs. If you must go to UIL, you will need to rewrite parts or use your strong horn to cover Sax parts. Unify low WWs, trombone, baritone and tuba parts. Enough trumpets to have 1 stronger player on baritone?

Yellow boarders feel free to sound off on this:
Here are some grade 2s that are mostly playable with normal instrumentation. "Absolute easiest"? Maybe with adjustments listed above they can be made "playable".

Irish Interlude
Balladair
Kenya Contrasts
Cumberland Cross
Steppes of Russia
Moscow 1941

Do you have a mentor who can help you with this? If you are willing to share your general location (I'm in west TX/eastern NM) and it's not too to far to drive, I'm willing to do what I can to help you. I'm retired and will do this as a "pay it forward" no cost.

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by Here on 1/8/2025, 10:31 am, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

I would recommend looking at some of the newer things that have been added in the last few years. I feel like the newer stuff has better instrumentation. Anyway, here's a few off the top of my head

Memories from another time
Lullaby in the mirror
Down By the salley gardens
Down to the river
Dreams of Flying

Sparks (I've never actually played this one, just heard it a few times at UIL, so I am not sure about the parts fitting your needs)

Re: Absolute easiest Grade 2

Posted by SaxMan on 1/8/2025, 10:17 am, in reply to "Absolute easiest Grade 2"

Flight of Eagles by Del Borgo
Two British Folksongs.

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