2021 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. The 2021 syllabus will remain unchanged from 2020 .
Download the 2020 Syllabus
*suitable for small/limited ensemble

The 2020/2021 Alberta Band Association Syllabus
*indicates pieces appropriate for small ensembles

Grade 1A (First Year Players Only)
All Ye Young Sailors
Appalachian Overture
Chorale and Canon
Court Festival
Nottingham Castle
Sandy Bay March
Shine
​
​Grade One 
Marzo Zingaro
Prehistoric Suite
December Sky
Hail to the Girls of Canada 
Chorale Elegante
*Bartok Suite
Clouds 
Land of the Silver Birch
Silver Scepter 
Majestica 
All Ye Young Sailors
*Be Still My Soul 

Grade Two 
Lisbon (from Lincolnshire Posy)
​Eagle Song
Avinu Malkeinu 
Ancient Voices 
Sketches of Canada 
Early English Suite 
Irish Jig for Young Feet 
Whispers 
…at Twilight 
Procession of the Sardar 
As Winds Dance 
*A French Canadian Suite

Grade Three 
Pop!
Montreal Citadel
Donkey Riding 
Chasing Sunlight 
Fanfare, Ode, and Festival 
Hymn for Band 
Butterfly’s Ball 
Blanche Comme le Neige 
*Jana's Dance 
The Voyageurs 
*Pavane Op. 50
Suite from Bohemia (3 mvmts) 
Remembrance


​Grade Four 
Elegy for Albinoni
Molly's Sweet
​Persian Dance No. 2 
Toward the Bright Future
Dusk 
Hebrides Suite s
Letters for Home 
Prairie Wedding 
They Came Sailing ​

Composer/Arranger
Pierre la Plante
Robert W. Smith
Anne McGinty
Bruce Pearson
Larry Darhn
Brian West
​Rob Grice

Composer/Arranger
Randall Strandridge
​Paul Jennings
Erik Morales
Arr. David Marlatt 
Elena Roussanova
arr. Larry Clark
Anne McGinty
Donald Coakley
John Kinyon 
Brian Balmages 
Pierre La Plante
 R.W. Smith 

​Composer/Arranger
Arr. Michael Sweeney
​Bob Baker/Robert Buckley
Arr. Vince Gassi 
Michael Sweeney 
arr. Michael Story
arr. Finlayson
Travis J. Weller
Feldstein/Clark 
 Tyler Grant 
 arr. Mark Williams
Samuel Hazo 
Arnold MacLaughlin

Composer/Arranger
Tawnie Olsen
Norman Audoire trans. K. Horner
Donald Coakley
Cait Nishimura
Bob Margolis
Hugh M. Stuart 
Ryan Fraley
Harry Freedman
David Gorham 
Pierre La Plante 
Arr. Larry Clark 
Vaclav Nehlybel 
D.I.D Choi
​       Winner of the Howard Cable Prize
​
Composer/Arranger​
Shelley Hanson
Arr. George Rowe
​Amir Molookpour
Naoya Wada
Steven Bryant 
Clare Grundman
Peter Meechan 
Kenley Kristofferson
André Jutras

Publisher
Daehn
Belwin
Queenwood
Kjos
Daehn
Brolga
​Barnhouse

Publisher
Grande Mesa
Hal Leonard
​FJH 
Eighth Note 
Belwin 
Belwin 
Kjos 
Eighth Note 
Alfred 
FJH 
Daehn 
Barnhouse 

Publisher
Hal Leonard
Hal Leonard
​Alfred 
Hal Leonard 
Belwin 
Boosey &Hawkes 
FJH 
Barnhouse
FJH 
Alfred 
Boosey 
Bourne 

Publisher 
Bandquest
C. Alan
Eighth Note 
Cait Nishimura 
Manhattan Beach 
Shawnee Press 
FJH 
 CMC 
Wingert Jones 
Daehn
 Carl Fischer 
 HL 
Self-Published - refer to composer's website


Publisher ​ 
Windependence
Grand Mesa
​Hafabra 
Grand Mesa 
Hal Leonard 
Boosey &Hawkes
Meechan Music 
Daehn 
Barnhouse

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.  
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
​