Cued In | The J. W. Pepper Blog

March 17, 2023 by jwpepper

Exploring Front Ensemble Tech with Chad Kohler

J.W. Pepper’s creative team visited Fishers, Indiana to spend time with the band and get to know their staff. Director Chad Kohler gave us an in-depth look at all the elements that go into leading the band’s front ensemble, including the technical equipment they use, processes for amplifying each instrument, and rehearsal strategies.

March 15, 2023 by jwpepper

An Interview with Richard Saucedo

Richard Saucedo is an internationally renowned composer, arranger, adjudicator, keynote speaker, guest conductor, and clinician. He has written numerous acclaimed pieces of music for marching band, concert band, choir, and orchestra, and he served as a music educator in Carmel, Indiana for decades.

February 9, 2023 by Julia Anderson

New and Noteworthy Pop Repertoire for Choir, Concert Band, and Orchestra

Delight students and wow audiences with educationally valuable pop music that’s fun both to play and to hear! For choir, we’re featuring 10 new vocal jazz, stage & screen, and pop selections. For concert band and string orchestra, we’re featuring eight of our editorial teams’ favorite arrangements of film scores by Danny Elfman in honor of Elfman’s 70th birthday.

January 19, 2023 by Julia Anderson

Our Favorite Contest and Festival Repertoire for Concert Band, Choir, and Orchestra

Contest and festival season is coming soon! Prepare for coming performances with seven well-written and educationally valuable titles for concert band, 10 for treble choir, and seven for orchestra. All the pieces on these lists are Editors’ Choice selections, and most are relatively new. We’ve included a wide range of styles and grade levels, so you’re sure to find a few that work for your ensembles.

January 18, 2023 by jwpepper

Understanding Proposition 28 – Resources from CMEA

It’s an exciting time to be a music teacher in California! Proposition 28, a California ballot initiative that guarantees additional funding for arts and music instruction and programming in K–12 public schools statewide, passed in the November 2022 general election.

November 10, 2022 by Julia Anderson

Our Guide to Choosing a Microphone

As a music teacher or ensemble director, microphones play an important role in your work. Whether you need to amplify musicians for a large performance, you’re recording an ensemble to enter a competition, or you’re outfitting a music lab, you’ll need to select microphones and audio equipment. Check out JW Pepper's Guide on Choosing a Microphone!