66 Festive & Famous Chorales for Band: 1st Trombone Book

Erickson's chorale arrangements strike an uncommon balance: they sound sophisticated enough to satisfy serious musicians while remaining straightforward enough to serve as reliable warm-up material. The flexibility to use these as full band, quartet, or anything in between means you're not locked into a single rehearsal context, and the focus on musicianship fundamentals makes every rehearsal time count toward intonation and blend work that transfers immediately into your concert repertoire.

The collection moves through familiar harmonic territories with clarity and grace. Each chorale sits comfortably in the trombone's range while maintaining musical integrity; you're hearing real music, not exercises dressed up as chorales. The varied emotional content spans from devotional calm to celebratory brightness, giving rehearsals genuine musical texture despite their pedagogical purpose.

First trombone players in concert bands ranging from high school to community ensembles benefit most from this book. Both principal players who need reliable warm-up material and secondary trombone players working on ensemble blend find these 66 pieces invaluable for daily musicianship work.

• Shape each chorale with a clear phrase arc rather than treating it as a static harmonic study; even in four-part writing, there's a melody line that deserves direction and breathing space.
• Lock the harmonic foundation by having lower brass and trombone parts lock in together on pulse and balance before adding upper voices.
• Listen critically to vertical intonation at phrase endings where chords sit longest; those moments reveal whether adjustments are needed for pure major or minor thirds.
• Vary articulation and dynamics across different chorales to keep the rehearsal fresh and prevent the collection from becoming rote.

Open rehearsals with one or two chorales as a focused warm-up sequence that targets intonation and phrasing rather than technical facility alone. You can also excerpt shorter pieces for pre-concert tuning, or program an entire set of related chorales as a standalone concert item that showcases your band's musicianship and blend.

• Reading four-part harmonic writing and voice leading
• Matching intonation within sustained chords
• Balancing individual line with harmonic function
• Executing consistent phrasing across an entire musical idea
• Adjusting articulation and tone to blend within ensemble
• Transposing and reading in multiple keys