MUSIC FOR STUDENT GUITAR ENSEMBLES
One of the critical needs of in the Suzuki Guitar community worldwide is music for student guitar ensembles that is level appropriate and fun for kids to learn and perform. The three volumes below, Easy Reader, It’s About Time and It’s About Time II have been structured to address the teaching points of the different Suzuki guitar books, and they have become the standard texts for ensemble playing and literacy development in my studio.
These volumes have been presented at bi-annual Suzuki conferences in 2002, 2004 and 2006; since the publication of these works, they have been performed regularly throughout the U.S, as well as in Mexico, South America, Europe and Australia.
NOTE: This music is available as a PDF download only. You will receive your music as an email attachment within 24 hours of purchase. Purchasing extra parts will allow you to print the extra parts from your PDF. Once you have clicked on ADD to CART your shopping cart will show up at the bottom of the page.
Easy Reader – First Ensembles for Guitar (2004) Includes score and one copy of each part. $16.99
The 15 trios in this volume follow, in notation and ensemble format, the melodic, rhythmic and technical points of the Guitar Level I solo repertoire, including the three main key areas of G, D and A major. Frank Longay, co-founder of the Suzuki guitar method and a prominent leader in the Suzuki community, had this to say about the book:
“Easy Reader provides the refreshing and enjoyable antidote for the much neglected area of beginning guitar ensemble. Each piece provides well thought out, clever and artful settings for the various musical concepts. I cannot recommend Mychal Gendron’s ensemble offering enough to any serious, but, not-too-serious, music educator for the classical guitar.”
Extra Parts for Easy Reader - choose quantity desired in your shopping cart.
Easy Reader - GTR 1 2.00
Easy Reader - GTR 2 2.00
Easy Reader - GTR 3 2.00
It’s About Time, Volume I – Adventures in Musical Meters for Guitar Ensemble (2002) $11.99
This book contains 6 trios appropriate for students at Guitar Level II who have completed the music in Easy Reader. Each piece explores a different meter – 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/8, 6/8 and 7/8 – in an ensemble context.
Extra Parts for It's About Time 1 - choose quantity desired in your shopping cart.
It's About Time 1 - GTR 1 2.00
It's About Time 1 - GTR 2 2.00
It's About Time 1 - GTR 3 2.00
It’s About Time, Volume II – Adventures in Dance Rhythms for Guitar Ensemble (2006) $11.99
Appropriate for student guitar ensembles of Guitar Level III and above, these 6 trios focus on specific dance characteristics, including two-step rag, habanera, milonga and jazz waltz. Special attention is given to syncopated rhythms and alternate scale forms.
Extra Parts for It's About Time 2- choose quantity desired in your shopping cart.
It's About Time 2 - GTR 1 2.00
It's About Time 2 - GTR 2 2.00
It's About Time 2 - GTR 3 2.00
The Story of Ferdinand – for Guitar Trio and Narrator (2002) $13.99
The popular children’s book The Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf, is set to music for student guitar ensemble and narrator. The story of the Spanish bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in the bullring is accompanied by arrangements of traditional Spanish melodies and original compositions in the Spanish style. The music is appropriate for Level III-IV guitar students who have developed fundamental reading skills.
Extra Parts for Ferdinand - choose quantity desired in your shopping cart.
Ferdinand - GTR 1 2.00
Ferdinand - GTR 2 2.00
Ferdinand - GTR 3 2.00
The Story of Ferdinand – for Guitar Solo and Narrator (2002) $13.99
The same piece as above, in a version for solo guitar. Guitar level VI, or an intermediate level adult player.
The Velveteen Rabbit – for Guitar Trio and Narrator (2002) $16.99
The story of the toy rabbit who becomes real because of the love of a little boy is a classic that has touched children and their families for many years. The Velveteen Rabbit is set to original music for guitar ensemble and narrator, and is appropriate for Level V+ guitar students with solid reading skills.
Triptych No. 1 – for Guitar Trio with optional Contrabass Guitar (2013) $16.99
Triptych No. 1 is scored for three guitars with an optional part for 6-string, contrabass guitar. This Level VI+ piece is in three movements – Joy, Java and Jump-Jive – that use pop, rock and jazz influences in a standard guitar ensemble context.
Check out a performance of this piece at the Colorado Suzuki Institute in June, 2013!
The performance of Java uses this mute.