Bon Jour — I am taking a 150-piece high school marching band to Paris for a New Year’s Day parade — what kind of music do you think the Parisians would want to hear? We will play a few US tunes, but perhaps we could add something French? Would they want to hear French music by an Amercian Band, and if so any suggestions? Are there any French Holiday pieces — New Year’s or Christmas — that would sound good played by a marching band?
Merci! Brian
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4 Comments On American Marching Band in Paris
French song? why not… but try "I will survive". Success guaranted!
The French absolutely LOVE American Jazz. There are a ton of marching jazz arrangements out there. They would love you forever! I assume you have some in your repertoire. If not, Pepper Music has a great selection. I’m sure Hickey’s in NY would too.
French music . . . try some marching band arrangements of some Berlioz. In his more hysteric moments, he wrote very stirring music and he’s French! Ravel’s Bolero would be fantastic.
The Faure Requiem simply wouldn’t do . . .
Hope you survive. I had a friend with a HS marching band and he loved these trips with the kids. You are very brave . . . so was he!
Seriously, any jazz would be great, especially after the New Orleans hurricane. They would just love it.
I’m thinking of some French Christmas carols, which would work wonderful with a marching band (I’m a Band Director in public school), provided they have a strong percussion section. The First Noel wouldn’t work with marching band
One or two lyrical French numbers would work well, too, provided the band is still (not marching) when playing those lyrical pieces.
Go to http://www.jwpepper.com and see what they have. I get almost all my band arrangements from there. They have a section for religious Christmas Band arrangements. As the French are mostly Catholic, they won’t have a problem with you playing some version of a French Christmas carol with religious meanings. Some of your audience might even sing along!
They would LOVE you for playing their music, something they can relate to!
Our marching band is going to Paris for new years also =]