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an arranger's toolkit
fundamentals
Got questions? Painless reviews of relevant Theory & Notation guidelines provide a ready reference of best practices without wading into the weeds of outdated terms & arcane vocabulary. Spark the imagination with easy-to-follow chapters on Developing Source Material & Working Procedures.
grading
What to expect from a middle school Choir or Jazz Ensemble? When & How to introduce Winds into the Full Orchestra? Sure-fire parameters for Concert and Marching Bands? What about Beginners? Detailed discussions of Grading insure accurate planning of age-appropriate content.
applications
What about specifics? Clear and concise chapters on Wind Band, Marching Bands, Percussion, Choirs, String Ensembles, and Instrumental & Vocal Jazz Ensembles. Write with confidence - over 250 Musical Examples illustrate exactly how to apply the techniques covered in the text.
rECENT Reviews
"ESSENTIALLY A COLLEGE EDUCATION IN ITSELF"...
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
"A MUST HAVE FOR ALL EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS"
In this book, William Spencer-Pierce has constructed a compendium of insight and knowledge that is essentially a college level education in itself, no matter what musical grouping you might be dealing: Band, Orchestra, Chorus, small group, big group, whatever.
Chapter by chapter, William explores the nearly limitless possibilities of all the fundamental musical elements...
Front to back, this is not Arranging for Dummies, this is Arranging for the Serious Musician. As a life-long creator of music myself, I highly recommend this book.
Tom Rasely
Professional Guitarist-Composer
Oswego, NY
"A MUST HAVE FOR ALL EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS"
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
"A MUST HAVE FOR ALL EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS"
This text is a transformative toolkit, enabling teachers to make music accessible, captivating, and intellectually stimulating.
Written in a lucid yet engaging style, the book seamlessly blends scholarly rigor with pragmatic clarity. Enriched with over 250 meticulously curated musical examples, Spencer-Pierce illuminates time-honored techniques for scoring.
It's adoption as a required collegiate text would ensure graduates are fully equipped to navigate the multifaceted realities of ensemble teaching, whether orchestrating for a symphonic ensemble or adapting for a diminutive, small group.
Sam Bortka
Professional Saxophonist & Educator
New York City, NY
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
An eminently informative, delightful read...it is an excellent text for arrangers specifically and would work well as a course textbook or for individual study.
However, it is also invaluable for anyone selecting repertoire, as the parameters for grading literature get to the specifics of how to identify music that will best showcase and elevate your ensembles.
Each section is concise and vivid, and leads so organically to the next, that when I arrived at each chapter's exercises I found I really wanted to write them out...a must-have for arrangers and others working with ensembles.
Sally Renee Todd
Concert Pianist & Educator
Louisville, KY
"for those who would put their stamp on music"...
"for those who would put their stamp on music"...
"A SPRINGBOARD INTO CREATING MUSIC TAILOR-MADE FOR YOUR ENSEMBLES..."
This book is aimed at those who would put their stamp on music for both educational and professional realms...
Each chapter begins with an inspirational quote from a fun variety of sources, not just musicians. We hear from Frank Zappa and Felix Mendelsohn, as well as Helen Hayes and Bennett Cerf. At the end of each chapter are helpful reviews and suggested exercises.
Arranging for Developing Ensembles becomes one of those gems in the music library that would be accessible for both teacher and student. As with anything, the byword is patience with the material and with yourself.
Ronald Keaton
Actor-Songwriter-Playwright
Solo Chicago Theatre
SoloChicagoTheatre.org
"HOW TO MAKE YOUR GROUP SHINE"...
"for those who would put their stamp on music"...
"CLEAR AND ROOTED IN REAL-WORLD PRACTICE"...
WSP has written for emerging ensembles, fantastic choral and orchestra programs as well as the top State Champion marching bands here in Indiana.
I am one of those State Champion directors and can personally vouch for WSP's understanding how to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of an ensemble, then arrange accordingly to "set up your students for success". That is what we do!
The tips, tricks, and sage advice found in Arranging for Developing Ensembles will help get you there!
William Laughlin
Director Emeritus
Pride of Paoli Bands
Paoli, IN
"CLEAR AND ROOTED IN REAL-WORLD PRACTICE"...
"for those who would put their stamp on music"...
"CLEAR AND ROOTED IN REAL-WORLD PRACTICE"...
This book breaks down what can often feel like a complicated process in a practical and approachable way. Spencer-Pierce does a masterful job of blending music theory with hands-on advice and examples, so readers not only learn the concepts but also gain the confidence to apply them.
Because it is both clear and rooted in real-world practice, this book would be a valuable addition to an undergraduate Music Education program or a personal teaching toolkit.
D. Lynn Reed, Ed. D
Asst. Prof. of Educational Leadership Indiana University Southeast, Delta State University
about the author
BILL SPENCER-PIERCE (ASCAP) received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Indiana University School of Music, and a Master of Arts in Music from Ball State University, where he served as Assistant Conductor and Arranger in the Department of Bands.
His five decades of arranging work are tempered by 35 years of classroom experience as a Band, Choral, and Musical Theatre Director in Indiana and California.
In addition to his primary focus on teaching, he has served as Arranger and Music Consultant for over seventy school districts. "WSP" resides in Southern Indiana and remains active as a writer and adjudicator.
