Tambourin: Bassoon
By Michael Oare
Grade: 2
Item: 00-PC-0019777_B1
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Description
Tambourin, by Michael Oare, draws inspiration from a traditional French dance and the distinctive sound of the tambourin---a low-pitched drum from the Provence region. This vibrant piece captures the lively duple meter and rhythmic drive of the dance, featuring an energetic, memorable melody and a contrasting lyrical section in the parallel minor key. With colorful orchestration and engaging material for every section, Tambourin is both educational and rewarding to perform, making it an ideal concert or contest selection.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Young Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PC-0019777_B1
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Oare
Michael Oare holds undergraduate degrees in Music Composition and Music Education from Old Dominion University and has spent decades shaping young musicians as an educator, composer, and conductor. For 33 years, he directed the bands at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia, where his ensembles earned superior ratings consistently, including 30 consecutive years performing grade 3 and 4 literature at the highest assessment level. His compositions for young bands appear regularly in published catalogs, and two of his works were selected for GIA Publications' prestigious Teaching Music Through Performance series.
Oare's contributions to music education have earned him recognition as the 2016 Chesapeake Public Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year and a two-time recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence. He currently conducts the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia Concert Band, serves as an active adjudicator, and maintains memberships in ASCAP and Phi Beta Mu. He performs with the Virginia Wind Symphony and resides in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Why we love this
Oare crafts an arrangement that honors the dance's authentic character while remaining firmly in the learning band repertoire. The parallel minor section provides textural contrast without leaving players behind, and every part has genuine musical material rather than padding, so students feel invested in the full ensemble sound. This is exactly the kind of piece that works equally well on a concert or in a festival setting because it's genuinely engaging to play.
What to expect
Tambourin pulses with the energy of a traditional French village dance, full of rhythmic vitality and forward momentum in its opening sections. When the parallel minor arrives, the music quiets and deepens, inviting listeners into a more introspective moment before the lively character returns.
Who it's for
Grade 2 concert bands that are ready for straightforward yet musically satisfying repertoire. This works equally well for directors building a first contest program or developing ensemble cohesion in a rehearsal-focused curriculum.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the lively duple meter with clarity in the opening rehearsal by conducting the pulse precisely; this creates the rhythmic foundation that makes the Provence dance character come alive.
- Balance the melody across sections during the energetic passages so the memorable line projects cleanly without drowning out supporting voices.
- Shape the lyrical minor section as a genuine contrast; ask players to soften the dynamic and broaden the phrasing slightly to let listeners hear the shift in character.
- Pay attention to articulation markings that define the dance rhythms; clean attacks and releases will enhance the piece's rhythmic drive.
How to use it
Open a concert with this piece to establish an energetic, engaging tone, or place it in the middle of a program where its contrasting sections give your ensemble a chance to showcase both rhythmic precision and lyrical balance. It programs well alongside other grade 2 festival selections because it's both musically complete and efficient in rehearsal time.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining steady duple meter in rhythmic passages
- Balancing melody and accompaniment across the full band
- Executing clean articulation that defines dance rhythms
- Shifting dynamic and tonal color between contrasting sections
- Phrasing lyrical material in minor tonality