I am not a musician. My daughter is 12 years old and plays the clarinet very well. Her band teacher is losing her job due to the economy. My daughter and 5 of her band classmates want to put together a song to play at the spring concert in honor of their band teacher.

I cannot seem to figure out how to go about helping them do this. I am thinking of a song such as "I will remember you" or something relatively appropriate for the occasion, yet easy enough for Junior Highers to play.

They have
1 clarinet
1 tenor sax
1 trumpet
1 French horn
1 electric guitar

Does anyone know how to go about making a song/finding a song that all of these instruments can play together?

Thank you so much.

well actually this may not be known to middle schoolers but the clarinet trumpet and tenor sax can all play one part and then all you have to find is a part for french horn the guitar can play a flute part because finding music with this type of group is nearly impossible but finding a flute clarinet duet is easier you may have to drop the french horn player most good compositions will not put that type of group together but a clarinet flute duo will work and just have them a share a part.

bandnerd is right - some of these instruments are in the same key and can share some similar music. Example, the flute and piano can read the same piano music, with the flute concentrating on the vocal line and piano the accompianment.

If you want an arrangement you'd need some help getting a simple part transposed - if you're handy with a manuscript program you can get that done easily for several instruments if you are OK with them playing unison...

And some would warn about copyright issues, but I'd guess that doing this for a school event falls under "fair use".

Good luck!

PS - what type of lead time do you have?

I have a few questions. When is their spring concert? Also, I would recommend going to a local music store and asking them for their "Compilations" which is music that is written for groups and/or ensembles that you can tare apart into music that will be suitable for them to play. The best way of going about this is to talk to some professionals. If you cannot find anything interesting at all, then you could try to make your own sheet music. I would be glad to attempt this. I am a middle school-er as well, however I play in the college level range, and compose there too, but I know what the average to advanced middle school band student plays. If they are looking for a remembrance song, then it shouldn't be extremely hard to find, but some instruments can play the same line, remember that as the others have said.

Thanks for the topic, reply soon when you find some news.

If either of the musicians own or can borrow music notation software they could write their own peice, it may be more thoughtful and can include everyone.