Something Entirely Different: Jazz Ensemble Conductor Score & Parts

Woodrow writes for jazz ensemble with the ear of someone who has spent years at the podium and understands what actually engages student musicians in rehearsal. The piece sidesteps predictable big band clichés while remaining genuinely playable, a balance many composers struggle to strike. Her harmonic vocabulary feels current without requiring students to abandon traditional musicianship fundamentals.

Something Entirely Different announces itself with immediate personality. The piece navigates modern harmonic terrain with confidence, drawing you into unexpected chord progressions and textural shifts that feel organic rather than showy.

Jazz ensemble directors seeking repertoire that respects student musicians' intelligence and developing musicianship. This works for high school ensembles with solid fundamentals and sections capable of carrying harmonic complexity with confidence.

• Listen closely to the ensemble sound during section rehearsals; Woodrow's voicings often expose intonation issues that disappear once blend improves
• Mark phrase boundaries clearly with your ensemble so rhythmic precision doesn't come at the cost of musical shape
• Encourage soloists to commit fully to their parts rather than play it safe. Woodrow writes these features to showcase personality

Pair this on a concert where you want to demonstrate your ensemble's growth beyond standard repertoire. It works well alongside a traditional big band chart to show range, or as the centerpiece of a program exploring contemporary jazz composition.

• Reading and executing contemporary jazz harmonies and voicings
• Sustaining ensemble cohesion through harmonic complexity
• Responding to dynamic and textural shifts with ensemble awareness
• Balancing individual voice leading with collective sound