Posted Comments
At the River (4/4/14)
Just a note of thanks for directing our Honor Band (Illinois All-State Lutheran Honor Band) last Friday. I was inspired by the way you witnessed to the kids all day.
Jan Zepp
Director
IL
I conducted the San Bernardino County Elementary Honor Band this past Saturday evening and we performed Battle of the Samurai. I also wrote a prelude to go before that involved two Taiko drums in the balcony. Check out my YouTube link and let me know what you think. The crowd absolutely loved it. Thanks for your great writing!
Paul Locke
Elementary Music Teacher
CA
Twist and Stomp! (11/16/12)
I performed this delightful work with an honors band in Houston, and it was greatly received and enjoyed by performers and audience alike! Your knack for writing entertaining music for youngsters is simply unmatched - congrats once again, my friend!
William Owens
Composer and Teacher
TX
At the River (1/16/12)
A beautiful setting of a great Gospel favorite, and it works well with any program of any calibre. I programmed it for the first time and will do so for future concerts!
William Owens
Composer and Teacher
TX
Cowboy Cattle Drive (7/18/11)
Recently I conducted a beginning band at an extremely wonderful summer music camp here in North Carolina. Your music was the biggest hit with the kids! We performed your Cowboy Cattle Drive, Casey's Last Run, and Battle of the Samurai.
It was such a thrill to see these young musicians really excited about making music. Your music was fun, performable for young players, and easy for the kids to connect with.
Chris Ferguson
Director
NC
2010 Illinois Music Educators Association District 4 Jr. Festival Band
Last year was one of the best years of IMEA I ever did. Timothy Loest was awesome! I didn't want to leave. Thank you for your generous offer to direct and for your wonderful music skills.
Sharon
Student
IL
Stone Serpent Mound (4/9/11)
I've recommended it to many band director's in my area... Very programmatic, Mr. Loest. Congrats on all the new pieces! The next FJH catalog will be AMAZING!
Tyler S. Grant
Composer
AL
Casey's Last Run (2/2/11)
My students absolutely love this piece. They get really caught up in the acceleration of the train and the excitement that builds before the fateful crash. Allowing them to choose their own pitches for the train crash is brilliant. One of my students said to me, "Can we play this piece at more events besides our spring concert? It seems like such a shame that we only get to perform it once!"
Janice Cunningham
Director
IA
Fiesta Española (12/6/10)
This piece was amazing! We played it this year in region band and Mr. William Owens was our director. I want to know how you get ideas for these pieces. I like making music too, but I never have enough inspiration.
Mason
Student
TX
Fiesta Española (11/24/10)
This piece was exciting and fun! It was a great piece to start out a great night. Keep writing challenging music.
Demi
Student
TX
Fiesta Española (11/20/10)
I was in the Symphonic All-Region Band and my conductor/clinician was Mr. Owens. We played Fiesta Española and it sounded awesome!!! Keep composing more pieces like this Mr. Loest!!!
Sandy
Student
TX
Count Rockula (9/6/10)
You've done it again my friend! Wonderful program piece for young bands. You keep writing 'em and I'll keep playing 'em.
William Owens
Composer and Teacher
TX
Attack of the Garden Gnomes (7/20/10)
Great work Mr. Loest! Love the way you connect to the beginners!
Tyler S. Grant
Composer
AL
Cloud Gate (5/15/10)
Thank you for creating this wonderful piece that our 8th grade band got to play. I enjoyed is tremendously and it is a great accolade to the sculpture.
Kalyani
Student
NJ
Cloud Gate (11/22/09)
Thank you! I really enjoyed playing Cloud Gate (Reflections of a City) and Friends of Freedom at IMEA with you as my director!
Summer
Student
IL
Pirates of the Barbary Coast (10/13/09)
Great job Mr. Loest! I had a lot of fun playing it. Looking forward to another great year!
Sam
Student
IL
Fiesta Española (7/4/09)
This piece was great to play. I liked having Mr. Loest come in to coach us on a piece he wrote himself. Band at UW (Madison) Music Clinic was a great experience, especially with Timothy Loest as our guest conductor.
Sonia
Student
WI
Fiesta Española (6/29/09)
Fiesta Española was a very fun band composition with a unique Mexican flair. It was enjoyable for the band to play and the audience to listen to, too!
Natalie
Student
WI
Fiesta Española (6/28/09)
Fiesta Española was such a great piece to play. It combined articulation, notation, and dynamics in a way only the music can tell. Thank you so much for coming to Madison to guest conduct us at our camp.
Sophie
Student
WI
Court of the Noble Trumpeteers (6/8/09)
Thanks for a great, well-written piece for beginners. I also appreciate the extra help you and the publisher gave me in adapting the piece for my special needs; everyone was very easy to work with.
Tom Kamp
Director
NJ
Mr. Loest (3/15/09)
You have inspired me and above all made me remember to never give up faith in my life. I will always remember you in my life and never forget the lessons that you taught to me throughout my early years. I am so happy that others have recognized your talent as a musician and also as an instructor. You will always be an influence in my life. Thank You!
Benjamin Yemma
Remembering the good days...
OH
Battle of the Samurai (3/14/09)
THANK YOU for your reply (regarding Battle of the Samurai) - it is so exciting for me to actually write to a real composer! So, you've solved my mystery, we actually DO use a car part (brake drum). Not only is it going to be a new sound, the percussion students will go crazy wild (GOOD crazy wild!) about using a car part! How innovative!
We are also learning Traffic Jam, which the students love! It is so exciting as a teacher to see beginning instrumentalists excited because they can be creative and successful, even in the first year. So my heartfelt appreciation goes to you, who makes our beginning band practices so much fun and amazing! Your music definitely appeals to 12 and 13 year old beginners - and makes my job easy and fun!
Francesca Geneau
Director
Ontario
Fiesta Española (1/31/09)
Fun and smooth. Great Job!!!!!!!
Tyler S. Grant
Composer
AL
Stone Age Stomp (1/19/09)
I just got through playing this piece Saturday and the audience just loved it. And I was directed by clinician William Owens who I understand is a friend of yours. Keep up the good work!
Zakedric
Student
TX
Traffic Jam (11/14/08)
Hi! I'm 12 and I love your song Traffic Jam with car horns and whistles. I also play the clarinet in 6th grade!
Haley
Student
IL
Stone Age Stomp (6/23/08)
I've lost track of how many times I've programmed this wonderful work with the various district/region honor bands I've worked with. It's one of the very best novelty pieces in the young band repertoire, and is a big hit with the kids everywhere I go. I will continue to program this piece - it's timeless!
William Owens
Composer and Clinician
TX
Traffic Jam (6/20/08)
I like when the car horns "beep" and when the trombone sounds like an ambulance siren. It's my favorite band piece!
Stefan
Music Lover
IL
Cloud Gate (5/23/08)
On behalf of all the band members and their parents here at Westview Hills, I would like to formally thank you again for the wonderful opportunity you gave us in premiering your composition Cloud Gate (Reflections of a City) last week. The feedback I have received has been tremendous. What an amazing experience, that my students will not ever forget!
Some of the comments that students made after their concert, were things like how exciting it was to be a part of the first performance of such a wonderful piece. They talked about how someday their grandchildren will hopefully play Cloud Gate, and they can tell them about what it was like to meet you. More than anything I am so thrilled with how this experience has bolstered their love of music, and of playing their instruments.
Every time I listen to Cloud Gate I cannot help but be impressed. It is a truly beautiful piece; I think the band sounded better than they've ever sounded on it. It has definitely been the collective favorite of their young musical "careers." So thank you once again for working with the Westview Hills Concert Band. My students and I hope to have the opportunity to work with you again.
Karen Moffett
Director
IL
All Pieces (3/10/08)
Tim is one of the most talented, creative, and conscientious writers of today's music that I know. His priorities in composition are educational, entertaining, and progressive. He never ceases to amaze me with his cleverness, humor, harmonies, sound effects, and student interest. His musical ideas seem endless. Tim's works are entertaining to students and audiences alike.
Paul Tolosko
Director, Retired
IL
Night Flight of the Gargoyles (10/9/07)
I absolutely love this piece we are playing in band. The trumpets have an excellent part in the first measures!
Ethan
Student
PA
Trash Cancerto (10/9/07)
We performed Trash Cancerto as a part of a second year band concert. The piece was very accessible and did a wonderful job teaching form, dynamics, and sensitivity at an early level with featured sections in the band. We were able to tap into some discussions about classical music and the idea of call and response in a playful setting. The percussionists found the music fun to play and still sensitive to proper technique in sticking while playing on very "unusual" equipment. The instrumentation blended well with the rest of the group with many parts tripled and quadrupled.
Perhaps more impressive than the piece itself was Timothy Loest's willingness to communicate with us about the literature he wrote. The students received their first taste of a "living" composer. Our compliments go out to both the composer and work in giving our beginning students a very worthwhile experience with the composing process and a very fun performance.
Jeremy Mann
Director
MN
Quest of the Black Knight (11/8/07)
Great selection! Congratulations for writing an excellent piece for young bands. I've enjoyed many of your outstanding works.
Dennis Eveland
Director and Composer
TX
Trash Cancerto (6/5/07)
Trash Cancerto was a big hit with our students and audience. Our percussionists enjoyed coming down front and being the featured performers. Thanks for a wonderful, entertaining piece.
Bill Castillo
Director
FL
Friends of Freedom (5/22/07)
The Middle School Band opened their portion of the concert with Friends of Freedom. It received a rousing ovation from the audience. Great job, and thanks for writing!
Travis Weller
Director
PA
Court of the Noble Trumpeteers (4/14/07)
My band had a competition last Saturday. We played Court of the Noble Trumpeteers and wore trumpeteer costumes. Thanks for making a fun and simple enjoyable piece.
Katey
Student
IL
Night Flight of the Gargoyles (4/5/07)
My band class went to a competition and the judge's favorite song that we played was Night Flight of the Gargoyles. I especially like the clarinet effect near the middle of the song. So, I just wanted to compliment you on the excellent piece. I'm very glad that you made this song - it's great!!! GOOD JOB!!!
Kristie
Student
CA
Friends of Freedom (3/30/07)
We started Friends of Freedom today with my middle school group. Well done Tim! I really appreciate the accessibility of the whole piece while remaining true to the classic march form. A little something for everybody, and that is the key. My student teacher's college co-op observed him today working it with the group and commented how well written it was (this guy has 30 years high school experience and has been at the college level for the past 15). Thanks again!
Travis Weller
Director
PA
Calypso Carnival (3/29/07)
I have had the pleasure to work with Tim in many capacities. He has been a clinician for our elementary and junior high bands on a couple of occasions. We commissioned Calypso Carnival and he gave us the rights to be the second group to perform To Sail Beyond the Stars. In every capacity, Tim has been absolutely outstanding. He has a very solid understanding of beginning band and junior high band literature and really knows how to work with kids...I would highly recommend Tim to any director who is looking for a highly positive experience for their kids.
Keith Carlson
Director
IL
Friends of Freedom (3/4/07)
This is a wonderfully written march for middle school band students. I've used it with several district honor bands around my state and will continue to do so. Friends of Freedom is now one of my "ace in the hole" pieces. Thanks, Tim!
William Owens
Composer and Clinician
TX
Frontier Valley (2/22/07)
Our middle school band will present Frontier Valley at our concert next Wednesday. The students have really enjoyed the piece, especially the low brass and percussion. As an aspiring composer, I really appreciate the way in which you distribute the technical demands so that everyone has something interesting to play. Keeping a kid engaged who can watch a movie on his phone is difficult. I think your music is very engaging for students and it has been a pleasure to work on it.
Travis Weller
Director
PA
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