Accent on Achievement, Book 2: Horn in F Book & Online Audio/Software

Accent on Achievement works because it balances systematic skill-building with genuine musical variety. The inclusion of classics and world music across the method means your horn players aren't just practicing exercises; they're learning repertoire that sounds like real music from day one.

Engaging and purposeful. The full-color design and familiar melodies drawn from world music and classical traditions keep the method feel fresh rather than mechanical. Horn players encounter recognizable musical moments alongside technical work, which sustains motivation through the early learning stages.

Beginning hornists in middle school concert band programs who need a structured, comprehensive method that moves beyond isolated techniques. This book works for students who benefit from seeing music applied immediately within an ensemble context rather than building skills in isolation.

• Establish consistent long tone production early using the scale exercises and chorales; the sustained material builds breath support without tedious drills.
• Use the rhythm and rest exercises to anchor rhythmic accuracy before tackling the full band arrangements, which solidifies confidence in ensemble contexts.
• Approach the lip slur exercises methodically as flexibility work; they're scaffolded progressively, so don't skip ahead or rush through the early stages.

Use Book 2 as your primary method text during the first two years of band instruction, pairing it with your full ensemble rehearsals. The 11 full band arrangements provide performance-ready material that reinforces what students are practicing individually, creating a cohesive learning cycle.

• Reading treble clef in F clef transposition
• Rhythm and rest recognition (whole notes through sixteenth-note patterns)
• Scale construction and major/minor tonality (foundational)
• Long tone production and breath control
• Lip flexibility and range extension
• Ensemble balance and sectional intonation
• Performance of world music and classical repertoire at beginner level