Rocky Point Holiday, by Ron Nelson

In this chapter of “Band Together”, we welcome you to enjoy our recent live video performance of Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson, an educational deep dive into its instrumental audition excerpts, and a unique curriculum for general music study.

A Cornerstone of the Wind Repertoire

Commissioned in 1966 by the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson was inspired by the now-closed Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick, Rhode Island. The piece’s rapid shifts in meter, brilliant harmonies, and virtuosic passages mirror the thrills of a roller coaster ride, making it a beloved staple of the wind band repertoire.

Take a listen!

Rocky Point Holiday (1966), by Ron Nelson (1929-2023)

Commissioned in 1966 by the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson was inspired by the now-closed Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick, Rhode Island. The piece’s rapid shifts in meter, brilliant harmonies, and virtuosic passages mirror the thrills of a roller coaster ride, making it a beloved staple of the wind band repertoire.

A Closer Look: Exploring Audition Excerpts

Many of the instrumental excerpts from Rocky Point Holiday are often used for military band auditions. Below, hear our principal performers demonstrate these excerpts and discuss the challenges and pitfalls contained within each instrumental line.


Rocky Point Holiday - Marimba Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Flute Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Tuba Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Euphonium Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Piccolo Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Oboe Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Alto Saxophone Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Trombone Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Trumpet Excerpts


Rocky Point Holiday - Clarinet Excerpts

Rocky Point: General Music Curriculum

Rocky Point: General Music Curriculum

Each of these curricula are thoughtfully designed with the intent of providing creative connection and engagement between the Ron Nelson's "Rocky Point Holiday" and elementary or intermediate music students.


Lesson Plan


The Why

Typically, we like to begin with why at "Pershing's Own"—but we also believe there is a time and place to allow the music and history to speak first for themselves.  Now that we've given those elements a voice, here are the reasons behind the start of this new series of free educational content developed specifically for you by The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own." 

Intent: 

  • Create high-quality, live videos of The U.S. Army Concert Band performing large-scale wind ensemble works.
  • Extract challenging instrumental excerpts from each selection and create educational video content of principal players demonstrating accurate performance practice while sharing valuable discussion points.
  • Develop coordinated curricula to engage Elementary and Middle school classrooms with active listening activities and thinking exercises based on the full band video recording.
  • Offer multiple iterations of this package concept throughout the year, building a library of resources specific to wind band literature and accessible across multiple age groups. 

Purpose: 

  • Establish an audio-visual legacy of the expertise and quality exhibited by The U.S. Army Concert Band.
  • Create a clear guide for achieving what "right" sounds like when preparing audition excerpts.
  • Develop supplemental educational resources applicable across all age groups.
  • Encourage engagement between general music students and wind ensemble repertoire.
  • Provide equal availability of trusted preparatory materials, regardless of access to music education and private instruction.

We intend to do more "Band Together" series projects like this one, so we hope to hear your feedback on how we did with our inaugural run and what you'd like to see included in the next iteration! 

Get in touch

Questions? Ideas? Anecdotes? Please reach out and let us know!

E-mail SGM Leigh Lafosse