Band Today, Part 3 Cover Image

Band Today, Part 3: Conductor (Piano Acc.) Book

$24.99 USD
$24.99 USD
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Band Today, Part 3 Cover Image
Band Today, Part 3: Conductor (Piano Acc.) Book

Band Today, Part 3: Conductor (Piano Acc.) Book

A Band Method for Full Band Classes, Like-Instrument Classes or Individual Instruction

By James D. Ployhar

Item: 00-CBC00190
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Description
Band Today, Part Three is a basic method book for the advanced- intermediate level of band development. This method book will help develop a sound musical background and teach the musical skills necessary for membership in the more advanced school bands. Band Today, Part Three contains basic major and minor scales in addition to scale studies, rhythmic studies, chromatic scales, articulation studies and technic tunes designed to improve musicianship in a challenging and enjoyable manner. In addition there are studies of contemporary rhythms which will better prepare to play modern compositions by contemporary composers.

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Additional Details
Series: Contemporary Band Course
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 136
ISBN10: 0-7692-2962-X
ISBN13: 978-0-7692-2962-1
UPC: 029156013603
SKU: 00-CBC00190
Instrumentation: Conductor (Piano Acc.)

More about this title

About the Author: James D. Ployhar

James D. Ployhar

James D. Ployhar has established himself as a prolific voice in music education, with more than 800 published compositions to his name. His orchestration background includes study with Knud Havalde of the Danish Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and his work has been broadcast on network television and performed across Europe, Japan, and the Pacific Rim. Beyond his compositional output, Ployhar spent over 19 years teaching in public schools and has conducted clinics and workshops at colleges and universities throughout the United States, Canada, Norway, Germany, and England.

His contributions to band music have earned him the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Valley City State University. Ployhar holds degrees from Valley City State University (BS), Northern Colorado University (MA), and completed graduate study in composition under Morris Hutchings Ruger at California State University-Long Beach. The Contemporary Band Course, which he authored, has been translated into French and Norwegian and remains in widespread use, particularly throughout Norway, reflecting the lasting impact of his pedagogical approach.

Why we love this

This conductor's score sits at the exact intersection of rigorous fundamentals and musical engagement. The 136-page volume delivers comprehensive scale studies, rhythmic training, and articulation work without sacrificing the kind of material that keeps students invested in their own development.

What to expect

The book moves between focused technical work and more musical passages with surprising fluidity. Scale studies feel purposeful rather than mechanical, and the contemporary rhythm material introduces modern sound worlds in a way that feels natural to students encountering them for the first time.

Who it's for

This accompaniment book serves conductors leading advanced-intermediate bands who want a structured, comprehensive method that builds musicianship alongside technique. Directors working through the Contemporary Band Course will find this score essential for supporting ensemble work during rehearsals focused on scales, articulation, and contemporary rhythmic concepts.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the accompaniment to support melodic clarity; resist the urge to play full chords when the band part benefits from lighter harmonic support.
  • Use contemporary rhythm studies as opportunities to model the exact phrasing and articulation you expect from the ensemble.
  • Vary tempo during technical passages to highlight where precision breaks down, then gradually restore full tempo as accuracy improves.

How to use it

Use this throughout the year as your primary pedagogical text during the advanced-intermediate stage of band development. The contemporary rhythm studies pair effectively with actual contemporary repertoire selections, giving students both the technical foundation and conceptual understanding they need to perform modern works with confidence.

Skills your students will build

  • Major and minor scale construction and fluency across multiple keys
  • Contemporary rhythmic patterns and syncopation
  • Articulation control and consistency within the ensemble
  • Chromatic scale facility and intonation accuracy
  • Music reading in extended ranges and with varied time signatures

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