Swingin' on the Moon: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Featuring: Blue Moon / Moonlight Serenade / How High the Moon
Various / arr. Michael Kamuf
Grade: 3 (Medium)
Item: 00-PK-0008417
$80.00
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Description
Let's go to the moon! Swingin' on the Moon is a medley of three great American standards is a perfect choice to teach or reinforce swing style to your students. Featuring "Blue Moon," "Moonlight Serenade," and "How High the Moon," this arrangement by Michael Kamuf is bound to be a favorite of students and audiences alike!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Swingin' on the Moon: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Pop Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
218
SKU:
00-PK-0008417
More about this title
About the Arranger: Michael Kamuf
Michael Kamuf earned degrees in Jazz Performance and Music Education from Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music, followed by a Master of Arts in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University. His arrangements and compositions have been performed by prestigious ensembles including the Woody Herman and Glenn Miller Orchestras, the USAF Airmen of Note, the US Navy Commodores, and soloists such as James Moody, Eddie Daniels, and Sean Jones. He has recorded as a trumpet player with the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra and performed with the Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras.
Kamuf spent thirty years as an instrumental music educator in Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland), serving as Director of Bands and Orchestras and Music Department Chairperson at John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus for twenty-seven of those years. His ensembles consistently earned high festival ratings and commissioned multiple works for young concert bands. As an exclusive writer for the Belwin Division of Alfred Music Publishing, Kamuf has over 100 publications in print across jazz, orchestra, and concert band catalogs, with arrangements that have become standard repertoire for developing jazz ensembles. He currently leads the Mike Kamuf Little Big Band, a jazz octet based in the Baltimore and Washington, DC area.
Why we love this
Kamuf distills three iconic standards into a single, cohesive medley that accomplishes genuine pedagogical work: your students encounter authentic swing vocabulary without the complexity of three separate pieces. The arrangement sits comfortably at Grade 3, which means your entire band can participate meaningfully in learning how swing articulation, phrasing, and rhythm section feel differ from classical or straight pop contexts. Audiences recognize the melodies immediately, giving students the reward of playing music that lands.
What to expect
The piece swings with the ease of a summer evening, moving through beloved melodies that feel both familiar and freshly arranged. Whether cruising through the romantic swing of 'Blue Moon' or the brightness of 'How High the Moon,' the arrangement captures the joy of American standards while maintaining the rhythmic sophistication that makes swing style distinctive.
Who it's for
This medley serves concert bands at the middle school and early high school level, as well as community or adult bands seeking accessible yet musically substantial repertoire. Directors seeking to teach or reinforce swing style will find a vehicle that keeps all sections engaged, from rhythm section fundamentals to melodic phrasing.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the rhythmic interpretation around the rhythm section. Drummers and bass players set the swing pocket first, then horns lock their articulation and interpretation to that foundation rather than the other way around.
- Distinguish each standard by its own character. 'Blue Moon' allows for warmer, more lyrical phrasing; 'Moonlight Serenade' calls for legit orchestral elegance; 'How High the Moon' demands sharper, more energetic attack. These shifts make the medley feel like a journey rather than three pieces stitched together.
- Resist the urge to drag the tempo. Young bands instinctively slow swing pieces, which flattens the feel. Maintain steady time and let the syncopation speak; the music will breathe naturally at the correct tempo.
How to use it
Place this in a concert that celebrates American musical traditions or as the centerpiece of a swing-focused concert with related jazz or pop selections. It also works well as a bridge piece between classical and contemporary programming, giving audiences a moment of fun while demonstrating your band's stylistic range. The medley structure makes it ideal for community events where shorter, high-impact selections balance a longer program.
Skills your students will build
- Swing articulation and style interpretation
- Rhythmic accuracy in syncopated contexts
- Phrase shaping within jazz vocabulary
- Listening to and responding to rhythm section feel
- Transitioning between contrasting melodic and harmonic characters within a single piece