20 Tunes in Basic Styles for Clarinet: Clarinet Book

A musical passport. One moment you're in the dance halls of Hungary or the streets of Ireland; the next you're in a Latin jazz club or a swing ballroom. The writing respects each tradition while keeping the clarinet at the center, making these pieces feel authentic without overwhelming an intermediate player.

Intermediate clarinet students ready to move beyond concert band repertoire and encounter real musical styles. This collection works for students in private lessons, chamber settings, or jazz-adjacent programs who benefit from structured exposure to contemporary and world music traditions.

• Study the articulation markings as closely as the notes themselves; they're the primary tool for establishing each style's identity.
• Adjust your tone and air speed by genre. Reggae requires a lighter, more spacious approach than the propulsive swing pieces.
• Use tempo markings as a foundation, but listen to how articulation and phrasing shape the groove. A salsa piece that's technically on tempo but rhythmically stiff won't swing.
• Explore dynamics within each style's conventions. Blues asks for subtle bends and space; swing wants clarity and forward motion.

Program individual selections in student recitals to showcase versatility and cultural breadth; use them as supplementary material for jazz or contemporary music units; assign them progressively throughout the year to keep practice fresh and stylistically diverse.

• Interpreting articulation to convey style and character
• Playing in Latin, tango, klezmer, reggae, blues, rock, bossa, swing, and salsa idioms
• Adjusting tone production and phrasing across musical traditions
• Reading and performing 20th and 21st century compositions in accessible registers
• Developing sensitivity to rhythm and groove in genre-specific contexts