Frequently Asked Questions

From Wind Repertory Project

About the Project

What is the Wind Repertory Project™?

The WRP is an attempt to build a comprehensive database of wind literature, expanded by contributions of members, and freely available to wind band directors/conductors, students, and enthusiasts worldwide. While there already exist many fantastic sources for this sort of information, static media cannot keep up with the steady influx of new repertoire, and cannot -by nature- be as comprehensive as an open community project.

What are the origins of the Wind Repertory Project™?

The WRP was initially envisioned as a doctoral dissertation by Nikk Pilato while a student at Florida State University. The original idea was to create a document comprising a listing of wind repertory information along the lines of the excellent Orchestral Music: A Handbook by David Daniels. When the tremendous scope of the project became apparent, the decision was made to postpone creating the database until there was time to implement it in an online format, freely available to everyone.

Where does the information come from?

The information in the database is supplied by various sources including scores, journal articles, dissertations, reviews, personal experiences, and most importantly, contributions from users and editors, including composers themselves. All submissions will be peer reviewed after inclusion in the database and may be subject to revision.

What is the (TM) symbol that follows each mention of the Wind Repertory Project™?

The WRP has been trademarked by Nikk Pilato, and is awaiting a federally-granted Registered Trademark (i.e., the ® mark).

Are you making any money off of The Wind Repertory Project™

I am not. In fact, I am paying for web server service as well as domain registration, out of my own money. I do not intend to ever charge for usage of the WRP, it will ALWAYS remain a free service. At this time I do not envision adding advertisements to the website, but this policy may change depending on hosting and domain costs in the future. Any such ads would be minimal and directly related to the purposes of the WRP (for example, a small banner for a music distributor would be considered, an ad for a cell phone company would not be considered).


About Site Navigation

How do I find information on a specific composer?

Simply type the composer's name in the search box on the left sidebar. You can also browse through the Categories page, accessed via the left side bar, or you can access specific categories on the Main Page.

How do I find information on a specific composition?

Simply type the composition's title (or keywords) in the search box on the left sidebar. You can also browse through the Categories page, accessed via the left side bar, or you can access specific categories on the Main Page.

How can I find information on ALL the works by a specific composer?

Generally speaking, we deal only with works for wind bands or small wind ensembles at the Wind Repertory Project. On each composer's page you will find a section near the bottom with a list of known works for winds. If you are looking for other types of works (choral, orchestral, etc), you may want to check Wikipedia or another online source.

How can I find a list of marches/overtures/symphonies/etc. for wind band?

On the Main Page you will find a listing of Style & Form categories. Inside the code for each composition, we designate it with specific keywords; a particular work can exist in different categories (e.g., a piece can be a symphony and a transcription at the same time).

Why are some links different colours?

Links that are blue are internal links within the WRP - in other words, they link to pages contained within this website. Purple links will take you to external websites (these are also denoted with an arrow icon). Red links are also internal links, but they point to an empty page at the moment (i.e., a composition or composer that has not been written about yet). If you are a registered user and click on a red link, you will be taken to a page where you have the option to add information.

How do I purchase a composition listed in your database?

In general, we try to link information to the composition's publisher and/or distributor. You can click on the link and it will take you directly to the publisher's website. The Wind Repertory Project™ does not sell any music itself.

How do I purchase an audio recording of a composition listed in your database?

In general, we try to link information to the composition's discography. You can find this near the bottom of each composition's page (if available). Clicking the link will take you directly to a website where you may buy the recording. The Wind Repertory Project™ does not sell any recordings itself.


About Editing

Is there a standard template to use for the Composer/Composition pages?

Yes, there is. You can find information on that at the Tutorial page. Please adhere to the specific layouts shown for consistency. Your best bet may be to "borrow" the text formatting from another composition/composer page and change the text to fit your purposes.

I have discovered some errors in the database. What should I do?

Please contact the webmaster via email or join the WRP to fix them.

I am a composer, and I would like to add information to the database. What should I do?

If you are a composer of at least one published work, you may join the Wind Repertory Project™ and add the information. Be advised, however, that the purpose of the WRP is not to serve as a publicity or a marketing device. Excessive self-aggrandizement will be trimmed or deleted. To create a title, the first thing you should do is a search for that title (spelled exactly as you wish it to appear). If the title already exists, you will be given a choice to edit it. If the title does not exist already, you will be given a chance to create it (provided you are logged in). In the case of certain ubiquitous title (e.g., "Symphony IV" or "Masquerade") the standard practice is to include a parenthetical with the composer's name (i.e., "Symphony IV (Mahler) or "Masquerade (Persichetti) in order to help avoid confusion.

I am a composer and I do not wish to be included in The Wind Repertory Project™ database. What can I do?

You can contact the webmaster via email.

How do I create a new page for a composer/composition?

The easiest way to do this is to do a search for whatever it is you want to create (e.g., if you wanted to create a page for "Turbine," you would enter it into the search field). Make sure you spell it EXACTLY as you want it to appear. If the page does not already exist, the search will take you to a page where you have the option to create a new page.

How do I access the edit features on any given page?

There is a tab at the top of each article labeled "EDIT." There are some pages that are protected and you will not be able to edit them.

Are there any tutorials on how to use Wiki editing?

Yes, there are...the following page at Wikimedia.org is an excellent tutorial. You can also find a very brief overview of the editing toolbar on the Tutorial page.

I've made a mistake. What can I do?

You have two options here: You can either go back to the page and edit it again, or you can email the webmaster if that does not work.

Miscellaneous Questions

I saw some Program Notes in the Teaching Music books. Can I submit them?

No, not unless you are the writer for that particular set of program notes. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL!

Are we allowed to use the Program Notes for our own concert programs?

In a nutshell, yes. All program notes submitted to the Wind Repertory Project™ are copyright free and available for use. All that we ask is that you give due credit to the author of the notes. This is as easy as adding "Program Note by ________" or "Program Notes compiled using information found on The Wind Repertory Project (www.windrep.org)" at the end of the Program Notes section of your concert program. DO NOT take credit for someone else's work.

I'd like to ask for advice on how to rehearse a certain composition. Where can I do that?

You can ask questions about rehearsal practice in the Discussion section of each composition, accessed by clicking on the Discussion tab at the top of each page.