New Wade 'n Water: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Adolphus Hailstork
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00425832
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Description
This piece is a contemporary adaptation of the traditional spiritual, Wade in the Water incorporating blues scales, mixed meters, and extended phrases.
BandQuest, an exciting series of new music and accompanying curricula for band, is a program published by the American Composers Forum. The series was started as a response to feedback from music educators that there is a pressing need for new, fresh band music. The heart of this program is new works written by a diverse group of leading American composers who have created challenging pieces that are a true departure from standard middle school repertoire. Every BandQuest project includes a residency component in which the composer works collaboratively with a middle school as they create their new piece. Many BandQuest pieces are accompanied by an interdisciplinary curriculum designed to assist students as they learn the music and to integrate each piece with non-music studies. Visit www.bandquest.org to learn more about this innovative series, and email bandquest@composersforum.org to request a free downloadable audio catalog. Learn more about this piece here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ComposersForum/search?query=brent+michael+davids+%29
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00425832
More about this title
About the Composer: Adolphus Hailstork
Adolphus Hailstork is an accomplished American composer whose work consistently bridges classical forms with African American musical traditions. His output ranges from orchestral and chamber works to educational pieces that challenge young musicians while remaining rooted in authentic musical storytelling.
Why we love this
Hailstork's treatment of Wade in the Water respects the spiritual's historical weight while refusing to shy away from contemporary harmonic and rhythmic language. The blues scales and meter shifts aren't ornamental; they reflect how this music has evolved in American culture, making it intellectually engaging for students who often encounter spirituals only in sanitized arrangements.
What to expect
The piece carries the dignity and depth of its spiritual source while moving with the rhythmic freedom and harmonic color of blues tradition. Extended phrases and metric fluidity give it a contemporary sophistication that rewards careful listening and intentional musicmaking.
Who it's for
Grade 3 bands with players who can manage mixed meters and aren't intimidated by blues vocabulary. This works well for ensembles ready to move beyond straightforward diatonic writing but still need support from a strong composer voice and conductor score.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the blues tonality early in sectional rehearsals so students understand that the scale shapes differ from major and minor. Have them sing the blues notes before playing them.
- Map out the meter changes visually on the score so the ensemble anticipates shifts rather than reacting to them. Conducting clarity here pays dividends.
- Balance the extended phrases by identifying natural breath points with each section; don't let the length force gasping mid-phrase.
- Let the spiritual's emotional core breathe through the contemporary idiom. The blues language serves the text, not the other way around.
How to use it
Pair this with a concert exploring American musical roots, or use it as a centerpiece when teaching students about cultural adaptation and compositional voice. The BandQuest residency philosophy means the piece comes with potential curricular connections; check the program website for available materials that link this to history and social studies.
Skills your students will build
- Reading mixed meters (3/4 and 4/4 transitions)
- Performing blues scales accurately
- Sustaining long phrases with dynamic shape
- Understanding spiritual traditions in contemporary composition
- Ensemble balance in extended harmonic passages