Once upon a time.
Chapter one.
First Avenue Music was founded by Seth Woodard in 2011. After 6 years of writing custom music for both Scholastic and Independent Ensembles, he also realized there was a need for groups with smaller budgets to have access to awesome shows. That’s why he started collecting his library of shows into the First Avenue Music Catalog, which now spans over 80 show in four categories: Percussion A Class, Percussion Open Class, Percussion World Class, and Marching Band.
Chapter two.
The Marching Arts is an extremely unique and special activity that gives youth and young adults the opportunity to blossom amongst peers while creating art. Teaching life lessons through group music is a powerful tool; an environment where commitment, responsibility, communication, and appreciation for creation can make a lasting difference. An in-depth production that has been tested on the field or in the arena will elevate your students experience.
chapter three.
Every show in our Catalog has been crafted from scratch with passion for the Marching Arts. While we recommend using the music within it’s original intended context, we encourage you to be creative and tell a story that resonates with your staff and students. We are committing to creating, and hope you will join us in putting out more artistry into the world.
a brief list (of clients)
Ayala HS
Trumbull HS
San Marino HS
Torrance HS
North Shore HS
Williams Field HS
Mesa HS
Gilbert HS
Dark Sky Percussion
Elite Percussion
Gold Drum & Bugle Corps
Oregon Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps
Page HS
Torrance HS
Fishers HS
about seth.
Seth Woodard enjoys a career that draws on his background as a performer, educator, and composer. Seth is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music (B.M. 2006) whose experience and schooling has included composition, arranging, orchestration, conducting, music editing, production, performance, teaching and self-publishing. Currently residing in Long Beach, CA, Seth is a freelance composer and arranger of music for Film/TV, having worked on projects airing on the Lifetime Network, WWE, and movie theatres worldwide. In addition to his work in modern media, Seth is the Owner and Founder of First Avenue Music - a music writing/publishing company dedicated to supplying Marching Bands and Percussion Ensembles with professional level Design, Composition, and Arrangements.
Seth began studying percussion at a very young age with Dr. Steven Hemphill (Northern Arizona University). Around this same time, he was awarded several composition awards by the Arizona Music Educators Association and had the opportunity to play as lead percussionist in the Disney Youth Symphony Orchestra. This early exposure to music eventually led Seth to begin studying marimba under Nancy Zeltsman, which continued through his time in Boston. He has also had the pleasure of studying under Dr. JB Smith, Fumito Nunoya, Nanae Mimura, Klaus Badelt, Andrew Raiher, Eric Reasoner, Richard Davis, and Jon Klein.
Besides writing and directing Dark Sky, Seth has been directly involved with many successful groups over the years, including: San Marino HS, Ayala HS, Williams Field HS, Mesa HS, Gilbert HS, Page HS, Torrance HS, Elite Percussion, Fishers HS, Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, and many more.
Seth proudly uses and endorses Innovative Percussion, Pearl-Adams, Roland, and Zildjian.
FREQUENT CONSPIRATORS.
SCOTT TANAKA - SHOW DESIGN/BATTERY ARRANGER
DARREN VAN DERPOEL - SHOW DESIGN/BATTERY ARRANGER
PETER BECKHART - SHOW DESIGN/VISUAL DESIGN
TANNER WOODARD - SHOW DESIGN/VISUAL CONSULTANT
JARED ANDREWS - SHOW DESIGN/BATTERY ARRANGER
ROBERT BROOKS - SHOW DESIGN/BAND DIRECTOR
CLAYTON JASPER - SHOW DESIGN/PERCUSSION DIRECTOR
The people that we inevitably left out….