RBC Publications is thrilled to release the much anticipated Texas Prep Series: Daily Exercises Based on the State Sight-Reading Criteria series for Concert Bands, featuring six levels of collections written by esteemed educators and composers from Texas, Carol Brittin Chambers, William Owens and Jason K. Nitsch. Ideal for use by Band Directors – both in Texas and throughout the country and beyond – Texas Prep is designed to increase sight-reading skills and prepare students for contest adjudication. Each of the six levels in the Texas Prep series follows the widely respected University Interscholastic League (UIL) sight-reading criteria for band and follows a progressive, pedagogic sequence.
“Witnessing the impact of Texas’s Sight-Reading procedure has inspired us to dig deeper and create a new resource for Band Directors across the state and country,” explains Tyler Arcari, Director of Music Production and Editing. “Working directly with composers who have written for the UIL Sight-Reading, each level in the Texas Prep series provides authentic sight-reading etudes as well as fundamental exercises in rhythm and key to help ensembles best prepare for assessment.”
As a longtime collaborator with UIL in providing musical pieces for the sight-reading portion of UIL’s assessment, RBC Publications understands the ins and outs of Texas state music education, criteria, and adjudication. Texas Prep is any Band Director’s tool to assist in these endeavors.
Available as full Concert Band sets, Texas Prep series covers all keys, rhythms, and time signatures that ensembles may encounter while sight-reading under the Texas state sight-reading criteria. Releases that are part of the new series include the following: Texas Prep Level I by Carol Brittin Chambers, Texas Prep Level II by William Owens, Texas Prep Level III by Jason K. Nitsch, Texas Prep Level IV by Carol Brittin Chambers, Texas Prep Level V by William Owens and Texas Prep Level VI by Jason K. Nitsch.
Full Concert Band sets are available for $65 each (scores are $10 each) from music retailers and the publisher.
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)