Wingert-Jones Publications Mouse in the Bandroom! - Ferguson - Concert Band - Gr. 1.5

Composer: Chris Ferguson
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: Concert Band
Grade: 1.5

Description
Your students and audiences will have an absolute ball with this one! If a mouse has ever interrupted one of your rehearsals, you already know how it unfolds. We fully encourage you to ham it up during the concert. An entertaining choice for a Spring or Winter performance!

Program Notes
Let's face it-every bandroom has had a mouse at some point (whether we knew it or not). This whimsical piece follows the unexpected journey of one such tiny visitor as it scurries through the ensemble in a musical game of hide and squeak.

The mouse is introduced by a quirky, recurring motif that weaves its way through the sections. From the Brass to the Woodwinds, the mouse explores the soundscape with curiosity and charm. A cheeky "nanny-nanny boo-boo" moment in the music captures the mouse's triumphant escape.

But every adventure has its climax. Our furry protagonist finds itself in the Percussion section-dangerous territory! With a sudden shift in tone, the tension builds as the mouse narrowly avoids a trap, slipping through cymbals and drums with split-second timing.

In the end, the mouse lives to squeak another day, exiting with a joyful fanfare and leaving behind only a few paw prints - and maybe a chewed reed or two.

For fun, I encourage directors to share with students any personal stories about past (or current) furry visitors to their bandroom!