3 Great Maria Schneider Charts for the Beginning Big Band
Jazz musicians and audiences regard Maria Schneider n as one of the best big band composers around today. Although most of her arrangements cater to professional ensembles, she has also written for younger bands. These charts don’t have the same intense doubling and tricky passages as her professional charts, but maintain the quality and enthusiasm put into them. You also don’t need a full band for these charts, which can be played with as little as three saxophones, two trumpets, and one trombone.
As opposed to her experimental work with her orchestra, Maria Schneider’s charts for young bands play on traditional jazz forms and styles. She also presents a complete package for each arrangement, including written solos and bass lines, videos with rehearsal tips, and recordings of her band playing the charts.
Though we recommend all of Maria Schneider’s charts for young ensembles, below we have listed three great ones to get you started.
1.) Prairie Dance
This high-energy samba piece provides an amazing introduction to one of the fundamental forms of Brazilian music. Moderate brass ranges and repetitive rhythms make this chart suitable for beginning students, but this simplicity does not dampen the song’s intensity. Schneider gives solo space to alto sax, and your soloist can improvise or play the written lines.
Link to chart: https://www.mariaschneider.com/home/scoredetails/109
2.) Baytrail Shuffle
With its driving shuffle feel, “Baytrail Shuffle” will show your students a new way to swing. Hard-hitting ensemble sections and solo space provide plenty of contrast, and the traditional jazz chord progression will help familiarize your students with jazz language. Schneider has provided a written solo for piano, but you can open up the solo section if more students want to improvise.
Link to chart: https://www.mariaschneider.com/home/scoredetails/27
3.) Swing Street
Maria Schneider wrote “Swing Street” in the style of Count Basie, adapting his trademark riff-based swing sound for beginning bands. With room for many solos as you want, this piece would be a great addition to your set list. Both students and your audience will love this chart, and you couldn’t imagine a more quintessential big band sound.
Link to chart: https://www.mariaschneider.com/home/scoredetails/110