Junkyard Jam: Bassoon

Mixon understands what gets young musicians excited, and this piece delivers energy without sacrificing musicality. The built-in novelty of junkyard percussion gives every section of the band a moment to shine, and the optional nature of the unusual instruments means you can adapt it to what you have on hand. A Grade 2 piece that actually sounds and feels like a concert highlight, not a filler.

A joyride that starts with raw, infectious rock energy and pivots into Latin heat. The soundscape shifts when buckets and trash cans enter the mix, creating a playful, industrial edge that feels both organized and slightly chaotic in the best way. By the time the full band is engaged in the percussion moment, the piece has evolved into something that feels genuinely collaborative and celebratory.

Concert bands at the Grade 2 level looking for a piece with genuine entertainment value and educational payoff. This works equally well for middle school ensembles seeking a morale booster and for younger high school bands that want something stylistically fresh and rhythmically engaging without technical burden.

• Lock the rock groove early by establishing a solid backbeat with your snare and bass drum line; the Afro-Cuban section will sit on top of that foundation naturally.
• If using junkyard instruments, rehearse them separately first so the percussionists gain confidence with their unique sound sources before integrating with the full band.
• The middle section that invites other band members into the percussion parts works best when you prepare those students in advance; assign them to specific instruments during sectional rehearsals.
• Keep the tempo driving but controlled; this piece lives in its rhythmic precision, so a conductor's click or pulse reference will tighten the ensemble significantly.

Position this as a second-half opener on a concert where you want to shift the energy and get the audience engaged. It pairs well on a program that includes one or two serious pieces, providing contrast and reminding listeners that band music can be fun without apology. The 2:30 length makes it ideal for fitting into varied concert formats.

• Reading and performing rock rhythm patterns with precision
• Switching stylistic approaches between rock and Afro-Cuban grooves
• Ensemble lock and groove-based listening
• Percussion improvisation and creative sound production on non-traditional instruments
• Balanced dynamic control within a high-energy context