A Curriculum and Study of the Evolution of Wind Literature from 1551-2022

The purpose of this document is to identify important works of the wind band repertoire from the 16th century to 2022 in order to be used as a digital textbook and curriculum that can be used to teach a course on wind literature. This study will explore works that have been defined as having met criteria for serious artistic merit that have impacted the growth and evolution of the wind band. In 2011 Clifford Towner completed an update to two studies by Acton Eric Ostling, Jr. (1978) and Jay Warren Gilbert (1993) that evaluated the merit of compositions written prior to the date of the study publications. Historically, the wind band community holds a strong tradition of championing new compositions written for the medium and creating space for new composers. In order to determine which pieces should be included that have been published in the twenty-first century, a survey was submitted to a panel of experts who are members of the College Band Directors National Association. This survey will ask participants to list the three most influential composers and the three most influential pieces written since 2000.