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Read What band directors from Wisconsin are saying about Power of the Winds!

I appreciate and respect the Power of the Winds band arrangements because they are fresh and creative.  I program them often with honor bands and while Bill's arrangements are technically and musically challenging, students enjoy performing them as much as audiences enjoy listening to them. I highly recommend the Power of the Winds arrangements to music educators who teach on any level! 

Richard Mark Heidel, Ed.D.
Director of Bands
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

"My 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students enjoy playing Bill's arrangements because each instrument is featured with the melody or a cool part that they enjoy performing. Bill also does a really nice job with choosing repertoire that is fun and exciting, yet educational for students. He also has the middle school expertise in that he knows what students enjoy and what ability levels can be mastered through his music. TWO-THUMBS UP!"

Dereck Curless
Adams-Friendship Schools

Last year my 5th graders played Seven Note Medley. I liked this arrangement because it gave everyone a chance to participate in playing the melody and there was something challenging in the piece for each section. I appreciated that the notes for each section were within an appropriate range for the students. Both the students and I had fun with this piece.

Jennifer Diallo
Waterloo School District

Bill's arrangements are well-liked by the students.... all instruments have the opportunity to play the melody within each piece!

Carl Meincke & Connie Root
Hudson Middle School

"I have been using Power of the Winds pieces for several years. My students love them, as they have fun parts for every instrument. I have used them as pieces for contest material with my middle school groups, as well as programming them as lighter numbers with my high school band. In addition, we use the ensemble books as a regular part of the curriculum in junior high band. They are great resource when a student needs a Christmas tune for flute, tuba, and alto sax for their Sunday school program."

Matt Lamb
Director of Bands
Glenwood City High School
 

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was a favorite at our Holiday Concert. It’s a fun piece and a great way to expose students to different styles of music using a familiar tune. My 8th grade band loves to play it on their elementary school tour!!

Laurie Francis
Northstar M.S. Eau Claire, WI

The music that Bill Preston-Simon writes is tried and tested to work very successfully for Middle School bands. As a Middle School band director, Mr. Preston-Simon is well aware of these students' strengths and weaknesses, and writes the music accordingly. A great example of this is a piece he wrote that features the clarinets “The Suite: Register Key”. The piece centered around the "break" of the clarinet, and caused all of the clarinet players to improve themselves, not by playing the usual exercises found in technique books, but by playing a song written just for them! His music is practical, has musical worth, is challenging, rewarding, fun to play and has great audience appeal. You won't find music of such quality and better "bang for the buck" value than you'll find in the music of Bill Preston-Simon. I can only give Bill's music my highest recommendation.

Howard Lehman
Indianhead Arts and Education Center

I have used many of Bill Preston-Simon’s arrangements with my Middle School Bands in Menomonie. They are a favorite of students and audiences alike. Several years ago we opened our “Extravaganza Concert” with a combined band of 7 th and 8 th graders, alumni, parents and siblings playing Mr. Preston-Simon’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. What a powerful opening! In fact at rehearsals we were mistaken for a recording more than once! Musicians of all ages and experience played successfully in this piece because of Mr. Preston-Simon’s careful arranging and expertise in writing for young bands.

Patty Lehman
Menomonie Middle School