Accent on Achievement, Book 1: E-flat Alto Clarinet Book & CD

Accent on Achievement Book 1 respects the intelligence of beginning musicians while building solid fundamentals. The full-color design and immediate engagement with recognizable melodies, folk tunes, and light classics keep students motivated through the critical first year of study. The embedded full band arrangements mean your entire section is making real music together from lesson one, not just drilling exercises in isolation.

Opening this book feels like stepping into a real musician's world rather than a student workbook. The full-color pages and familiar melodies create immediate confidence, while the mix of exercises, chorales, and ensemble arrangements means every practice session includes both building blocks and genuine musical moments.

Beginning E-flat alto clarinet players in grades 5-8 joining a concert band program for the first time. This book serves students who need a structured, comprehensive introduction to reading, tone production, and ensemble participation without sacrificing musical substance.

• Work through the rhythm and rest exercises systematically before each new lesson to build automaticity with note values and rests; these exercises target the exact rhythms students will encounter on the next page.
• Use the recorded accompaniments on the included CD to develop independence and ensemble awareness; students will hear their own part in musical context rather than playing alone.
• Approach the scale exercises as musical phrases, not technical drills; apply the same tone quality and phrasing you expect in the chorales and arrangements.
• Coordinate with your director on the full band arrangements so all sections prepare their parts independently before putting them together in rehearsal.

Move through Book 1 systematically during the first year, using the comprehensive review cycle to ensure retention before advancing. The built-in full band arrangements provide performance-ready material for early-year concerts or festival appearances, giving your entire beginning band ensemble pieces to take seriously.

• Reading notes in treble clef on the staff
• Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes in simple meters
• Understanding rests and their rhythmic values
• Producing a centered, supported tone
• Fundamental fingering patterns for E-flat alto clarinet
• Playing in unison with full band arrangements
• Basic scale work and pitch accuracy
• Musical phrasing within simple melodic contexts