Out with a Bang

This school years marks my 40th and last year as the music educator at my school. My theme is "Out with a Bang."

Part of my plan is to have students play an instrument as they're lining up. It could be crashing a cymbal, shaking a tambourine, banging one of many types of drums in my room, or playing any number of other percussion instruments available. "Out with a bang!"

I will use this as an instructional tool, teaching them how to properly handle the instruments, and also a mini music history lesson. Plus, I can use it as motivation. If a student ends up in trouble, they will have to sit out playing an instrument that one week.

I'm going to play a piece from the music below while they're banging and lining up. This starts with classical music and more or less moves towards more modern pieces.

I realize this is a lot of music. I'm trying to be ready with lots of choices since we have many weeks of school. There's no obligation to listen to all of these selections. At the end of the year, I may have students vote for their favorites to revisit.

Song Number 1) 1812 Overture by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. 1880. This is the Boston Pops version.
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Song Number 2) In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg. 1875. I'm going to start this one at the 1:30 mark to get to the more intense section.

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Song Number 3) Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgski. 1867.

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Song Number 4) Dies Irae by Giuseppi Verdi. 1874.

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Song Number 5) The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Phillip Soussa. 1896.

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Song Number 6) Original Dixieland One-Step by Nick LaRocca. 1917.

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Song Number 7) Hallelujah performed by the Arden-Ohman Orchestra. 1927.

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Song Number 8) I Got Rhythm by George and Ira Gershwin. 1930.

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Song Number 9) Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. 1936. André Rieu conducting.

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Song Number 10) Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman. 1936.

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Song Number 11) In the Mood by Joe Garland and Andy Razaf, performed by The Glenn Miller Orchestra. 1940.

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Song Number 12) Bugler's Holiday by Leroy Anderson. 1954.

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Song Number 13) Biff Bang Pow by Eddie Phillips and Kenny Pickett, performed by The Creation. 1966.

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Song Number 14) Mission: Impossible, by Lala Schifrin. 1966.

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Song Number 15) Imperial March by John Williams. 1979.

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Song Number 16) Band the Drum All Day by Todd Rundgren. 1982.

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Song Number 17) Thunderstruck by Angus and Malcolm Young of ACDC. 1990.

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Song Number 18) Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks. Completed 1990, released 1991.

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Song Number 19) Out with a Bang by David Lee Murphy, performed by Treat. 1994.

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Song Number 20) Boom by P.O.D. 2001.

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Song Number 21) Big Bang Theory theme song (The History of Everything) by Ed Robertson and Steven Page, Barenaked Ladies. 2005.

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Number 22) Boom Boom Pow by will.i.am, Black Eyed Peas. 2008.

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Song Number 23) Firework by Katy Perry and Ester Dean, performed by Katy Perry. 2010.

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Song Number 24) Thunder by Imagine Dragons lead singer, Dan Reynolds. 2017.

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Song Number 25) Bang by brothers Adam, Jack, Ryan Met (AJR). 2019.

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This was a labor of love. The school year will be bittersweet. I hope the students enjoy "Going Out with a Bang."

I know I will.