Thomas, William L.2018-11-212018-11-212018-06-012018-11-21http://hdl.handle.net/10315/35469The performance of wind music has become an integral part of music education throughout North America. With approximately 2,500 new young band publications every year, publishers use grading systems to determine the suitability of each work for the various skill levels in the young band idiom. However, critiques have shown that this increase in popularity may have resulted in a decrease in the quality of music. This paper explores the relationship and perspectives of publishers, teachers, and composers of young band music, the prioritization of practicality over musicality, and the impact these decisions have on the students. Through discussions of the grading system, characteristics of educational music, and the nature of assessing quality in art, three original compositions are written, analyzed, and assessed for suitability for the classroom.enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.MusicElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2018-11-21Music compositionWind musicConcert bandsBand grading systemAestheticsMusic education