2024 ABA Syllabus

 The Alberta Band Association produces a syllabus each year which contains recommended, appropriate works listed by skill level. The ABA Syllabus is adopted by festivals throughout the province and provides band directors with guidance as to quality literature for their students to perform.

In addition to the syllabus, the Alberta Band Association is pleased to offer a list of Alberta Band Association recommended marches.  This downloadable resource guide is for the director’s use when planning festival and concert performances and directors are encouraged to select Marches to use as one of their contrasting selections at the Festival of Bands.
Download the ABA List of Recommended Marches

We also keep a record of all of the repertoire performed at the Festival of Bands each year and make that list available.
Download the list of repertoire performed at the 2019 Festival of Bands
Download the list of repertoire performed at the 2018 Festival of Bands.

Lastly, the Syllabus is listed below with previous years Syllabi available for download at the bottom of the page. 
Download the 2024 Syllabus

The 2024 Alberta Band Association Syllabus
*indicates pieces appropriate for small ensembles
+winner of the Howard Cable Prize for composition

Grade 1A (First Year Players Only)
African Folk Trilogy
Farwell at Dawn
Starlit Night
​Three Faces of Kilimanjaro
*All Ye Young Sailors
*Chorale and Canon
*Court Festival
Nottingham Castle
Sandy Bay March
Scottish Festival
Shine

​Grade One (1+ Years on Instrument)
Irish Tune from County Derry
March from Fist Suite
In Times of Turbulence
Lincolnshire Posy (Two Movements)
The Forge
Dance Slav
Whirlwind
Spirit of the Stallion
At the Water's Edge
Marzo Zingaro
Prehistoric Suite
December Sky
Hail to the Girls of Canada

Grade Two 
Rippling Watercolors
Evergreen Escapades
Dominion
The Grid
Kaalin's Flight
 Ancient Flower
Southampton March
Byzantine Dances
Lisbon (from Lincolnshire Posy)
Eagle Song
Avinu Malkeinu
Ancient Voices
Sketches of Canada
Early English Suite
Irish Jig for Young Feet
Whispers
 
Grade Three 
Sheltering Sky
Three Ayres from Gloucester
The Quest
+Rescue
Halcyon Hearts
*Rocketship
Haunted Carousel
Pop!
Montreal Citadel
Donkey Riding
Chasing Sunlight
Fanfare, Ode, and Festival
Hymn for Band
Butterfly’s Ball
Blanche Comme le Neige

​Grade Four 
​An Irish Rhapsody
Courtly Airs and Dances
Pedal to the Medal
Centennium
El Torico de la Cuerda
March Bou Shu
All the Pretty Little Horses
Loch Lomond
The Witch and the Saint
A Mother of a Revolution!
Bayou Breakdown
Elegy for Albinoni
Molly's Sweet
Persian Dance No. 2
Toward the Bright Future
Dusk
Hebrides Suites
Letters for Home

Composer/Arranger
Anne McGinty
Bruce w. Tippette
James Swearingen
​Robert W Smith
Pierre la Plante
Anne McGinty
Bruce Pearson
Larry Daehn
Brian West
Brian Balmages
Rob Grice

Composer/Arranger
Paul Cook
Holst arr. Story
Robert W. Smith
Grainger, arr. Michael Ryan
Christina Huss
Jack Wilds
Jodie Blackshaw
Brian Balmages
Rob Romeyn
Randall Strandridge
Paul Jennings
Erik Morales
Arr. David Marlatt

​Composer/Arranger
Brian Balmages
Adrian Sims
Randall Standridge
Adrian SIms
Ryan Meeboer
Yukiko Nishimura
Robert Sheldon
Carol Britten Chambers
Arr. Michael Sweeney
Bob Baker/Robert Buckley
Arr. Vince Gassi
Michael Sweeney
arr. Michael Story
arr. Finlayson
Travis J. Weller
Feldstein/Clark

Composer/Arranger
John Mackey
Hugh M. Stuart
Patrick Glenn Harper
E.K.R Hammel
Katahj Copley
Kevin Day
Erika Svanoe
Tawnie Olsen
Norman Audoire trans. K. Horner
Donald Coakley
Cait Nishimura
Bob Margolis
Hugh M. Stuart
Ryan Fraley
Harry Freedman

​Composer/Arranger​
Clare Grundman
Ron Nelson
David R. Gillingham
Brian Balmages
Luis Serrano Alarcon
Satoshi Yagiswa
Andrew Boysen Jr.
Frank Ticheli
Steven Reineke
Omar Thomas
Brant Karrick
Shelley Hanson
Arr. George Rowe
Amir Molookpour
Naoya Wada
Steven Bryant
Clare Grundman
Peter Meechan

Publisher
Queenwood
Alfred
Barnhouse
​Belwin
Daehn
Queenwood
Kjos
Daehn
Brolga
FJH
Barnhouse

Publisher
Belwin
Alfred
Barnhouse
Belwin
Excelcia
FJH
Manhattan Beach
FJH
Barnhouse
Grande Mesa
Hal Leonard
FJH
Eighth Note

Publisher
FJH
FJH
Randall Standridge
FJH
Eighth Note
Carl Fischer
Alfred
Excelsia
Hal Leonard
Hal Leonard
Alfred
Hal Leonard
Belwin
Boosey &Hawkes
FJH
Barnhouse

Publisher 
Osti/Mackey
Hal Leonard
Carl Fischer
Self-Published
Murphy Music Press
Murphy Music Press
Alfred
Bandquest
C. Alan
Eighth Note
Cait Nishimura
Manhattan Beach
Shawnee Press
FJH
CMC

Publisher ​ 
Boosey and Hawkes
Ludwig Masters
C. Alan
FJH
Piles Editorial de Musica
De Haske
Alfred
Manhattan Beach
Barnhouse
Self-Published
Alfred
Windependence
Grand Mesa
Hafabra
Grand Mesa
Hal Leonard
Boosey &Hawkes
Meechan Music

Grade 5
Own selections comprising 20 minutes of music (exclusive of time between selections); please provide three scores for the adjudicators

Grade 6
Own selections comprising 20 minutes of music (exclusive of time between selections); please provide three scores for the adjudicators

In addition to the current syllabus, we have provided several of the past syllabi for your use in finding suitable literature for your band.  
2023 Syllabus
2022 Syllabus
2020 Syllabus
2019 Syllabus
2018 Syllabus
2017 Syllabus
2016 Syllabus
2015 Syllabus
2014 Syllabus
2013 Syllabus
2012 Syllabus
2011 Syllabus
2010 Syllabus
2009 Syllabus
2008 Syllabus
2007 Syllabus
2006 Syllabus
2005 Syllabus
2004 Syllabus
2003 Syllabus
2002 Syllabus
​