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Easy Grade 1

Posted by Just Me on 12/16/2025, 10:59 am

Greetings,

I have recently taken over a 1c junior high program, and they have not been to UIL C&CR in the last several years. I am looking at taking them this year, but have no clue about the Grade 1 list. I know they are all the selections are "Easy" for lack of a better term, but which are not only playable for a very young band but also something they will enjoy performing?

Thank you for your time!

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by BD6 on 12/19/2025, 8:27 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Piñata - Owens
Will probably be removed eventually because it’s a .5 pretending to be a 1. Cover easy Perc parts with “less proficient” wind players if necessary.

Battlestar - Lortz
It’s catchy and very playable with no boring “B section” that changes time and key and style. Make a practice sheet for the various parts and learn it all as a group.

Scottish Festival - Balmages
Will need coverage for 2 clar and 2 trumpet parts but can be rewritten to cover and is steady mild tempo and easy rhythms if you can play in tune.

Mythos - Bernotas
Fun piece with a potentially challenging middle section with staggered entrances and a percussion soli.

In my opinion, some of the ones that look easy are actually really tough - acropolis, strength and honor, dance celebration, great beginnings, etc. — the score looks easy but the execution can be a real challenge with young tone qualities and musicianship.

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by DesertJazz on 12/17/2025, 10:33 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Focus on the success and playability for UIL. Looking at more excitement for Spring is my personal recommendation. Plus, you can make a piece more or less exciting as a director as well as the music can!

Some suggestions:
Dorian Chant
Acropolis
Knightly Procession

Those are both blocky and very teachable/playable. I have found both work well with our Non-Varsity 1C group. There's a new one we're doing this year called Intrepid Fanfare that is nice too, but I have a more advanced group for that one than normal - I'm not sure how it would do with one of our weaker groups.

For a march, there's an ePrint one available called Base Camp March - simplest march I have ever found and it is VERY playable! If you use that plus two of the other suggestions you'll have a program that should be very attainable without knowing more specifics about your group.

Best wishes!

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by That guy on 12/17/2025, 8:31 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Acropolis

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Warhawk on 12/17/2025, 12:34 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Pride of America by Willie Owens would be a great choice for your march.

Acropolis and Strength and Honor are list pieces and both only use the first 6 notes.

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Rec on 12/17/2025, 11:06 am, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Strength and Honor by O'Loughlin
Pinata by Owens

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Jeremy on 12/16/2025, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

Liturgical Fanfare is good. A bit of a beating for horns but otherwise nice.

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Well... on 12/17/2025, 10:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Easy Grade 1"

Good, but he's thinking about UIL being a possibility, and Liturgical Fanfare has been off-list since about 2006.

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Old guy on 12/17/2025, 5:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Easy Grade 1"

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Liturgical Fanfare is no longer on the PML.

Re: Easy Grade 1

Posted by Me on 12/16/2025, 2:04 pm, in reply to "Easy Grade 1"

A little more info would be helpful: strengths, weaknesses, etc. But off the top of my head, I think Zig Zag is very playable, but its "fast" and requires some articulation work.

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