2023 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 2023 Syllabus

The 2023 Alberta Band Association Syllabus
*indicates pieces appropriate for small ensembles
+winner of the Howard Cable Prize for composition

Grade 1A (First Year Players Only)
*All Ye Young Sailors
Appalachian Overture
*Chorale and Canon
*Court Festival
Nottingham Castle
Sandy Bay March
Scottish Festival
​Shine
Starlit Night
​Three Faces of Kilimanjaro​
​
​Grade One (1+ Years on Instrument)
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 
Chorale Elega'nt
*Bartok Suite 

Grade Two 
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 
…at Twilight 
Procession of the Sardar 

Grade Three 
The Quest
+King Arthur's Ride
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 
*Jana's Dance 
The Voyageurs 
​
​Grade Four 
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 Suite s
Letters for Home 
Prairie Wedding 
They Came Sailing ​

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

Composer/Arranger
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 
Elena Roussanova Lucas
arr. Larry Clark

​Composer/Arranger
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 
 Tyler Grant 
 arr. Mark Williams

Composer/Arranger
Patrick Glenn Harper
Sam Vander Woude
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
David Gorham 
Pierre La Plante 
​
Composer/Arranger​
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 
Kenley Kristofferson
André Jutras

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

Publisher
Barnhouse
Belwin
Excelcia
FJH
Manhattan Beach
FJH
Barnhouse
​Grande Mesa
Hal Leonard
​FJH 
Eighth Note 
Belwin 
Belwin 
 
Publisher
Randall Standridge Music
FJH
Eighth Note
​Carl Fischer
Alfred
Excelsia
​Hal Leonard
Hal Leonard
​Alfred 
Hal Leonard 
Belwin 
Boosey &Hawkes 
FJH 
Barnhouse
FJH 
Alfred 

Publisher 
Carl Fischer
Self-Published
Murphy Music Press
Murphy Music Press
Alfred
Bandquest
C. Alan
Eighth Note 
Cait Nishimura 
Manhattan Beach 
Shawnee Press 
FJH 
 CMC 
Wingert Jones 
Daehn

Publisher ​ 
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 
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.  
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
​