New: “Adaptable Quartets: The Great American Songbook” Expands Popular Classroom Series for Winds & Strings

Lakeland, Florida (August 21, 2024) – Excelcia Music Publishing is elated to announce the back-to-school release of Adaptable Quartets (The Great American Songbook 1911-1928). This latest addition to the popular Adaptable Ensemble Series offers quartets for any combination of string instruments (in the String series) and any combination of wind and percussion instruments (in the Wind series). Written to be accessible for grade levels 2-3.5, this new release contains 20 quartets infused with the timeless magic of musical classics from The Great American Songbook. The series is arranged by Tyler Arcari and Matthew R. Putnam with Percussion by Robert Clayson and Strings edited by Diana Traietta.

“I’ve had a wonderful time with Tyler exploring and arranging works from great American composers such as Eubie Blake, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin,” says co-author and arranger Matthew R. Putnam. “With such an abundance of musical possibilities available, I’m excited for where the future of the Adaptable Quartets series goes from here as more of The Great American Songbook enters the public domain.”

“Ever since we began our work on the Adaptable Ensemble Series in 2018, Matt and I have been eager to offer a collection of more modern works in the public domain,” says co-author and arranger Tyler Arcari. “The wealth of music in The Great American Songbook is unmatched when it comes to early American musical literature, and we are thrilled to release this collection with arrangements of classic songs from 1911-1928.”

The Great American Songbook consists of a widely recognized canon of classic jazz standards, show tunes, and popular songs that have played pivotal roles in shaping 20th century American popular music and cultural history. Whether students and audiences recognize these famous tunes from their frequent inclusion in movies, cartoons, commercials, and games, or are experiencing them for the very first time, these timeless standards are perfect for recital and festival adjudication settings.

Adaptable Quartets (The Great American Songbook 1911-1928) is available in versions for Strings, as well as Winds and Percussion for $14.99 per book from music retailers and from the publisher.