Output details

Series of graded works for Saxophone/Saxophone & Piano, Quartet, etc, solo saxophone. Astute-Music; Trinity Syllabuses, 2008–2012

The research question pursued through these volumes concerns composition of musically-legitimate works within strictly graded guidelines for range, tempos and technical difficulty specified for the syllabuses of the two main international examination boards, Trinity and ABRSM. The pieces incorporate technical progression at appropriate levels, while maintaining artistic value. The player is introduced to up-to-date styles and techniques: contemporary jazz and rock rhythms and harmonies alongside more traditional forms promote an appropriately broad skills and musical experience base. Piano parts are devised to be easily playable by amateurs. Buckland draws on his professional experience as both a classical and jazz player, and teaching countless young musicians of varying levels, to write music that gives the student a wide-ranging set of challenges, encouraging positive superimposition of style and nuance to bring the works to life. Originally for saxophone, several of the pieces have now been adapted for flute and clarinet syllabuses. Buckland has re-worked them to ‘fit’ these instruments, changing keys, registers and technical demands to suit the new instrumentation, rather than simply transposing them, allowing clarinet and flute players access to a wide variety of styles and genres that they may not meet elsewhere. He has also recorded demonstration versions of many of the works, which are available for reference, via the publishers’ websites.

Rationale for grouping short items as a single output

Buckland’s various short compositions for saxophones and other woodwind instruments are published in separate slim booklets, reflecting both the needs of learner players and the way that the market for such materials is organised. The Astute Music collections are organised by ‘standard’ or grade range. Graded volumes issued by Trinity College London are miscellanies offering a range of different styles and genres; each contains a single piece by Buckland, here in versions for alto and tenor saxophones.