Accent on Ensembles, Book 1: Trumpet, Baritone T.C. Book

These ensembles give your first-year students real ensemble experience without requiring a full band setup. The flexible instrumentation means you can pull together duets, trios, and quartets from whatever players show up that day, making them invaluable during staff absences or contest prep when you need focused small-group coaching.

These pieces offer the joy of ensemble playing without the complexity of a full orchestration. Each duet, trio, and quartet feels like a conversation between players, where every voice matters and young musicians experience the satisfaction of creating harmony together.

Trumpet and baritone T.C. players in their first year of band, particularly those using the Accent on Achievement curriculum. Directors looking for supplementary material that keeps developing players engaged while building collaborative skills and independent musicianship.

• Rotate who plays the lead voice in each piece so all players get experience with both melody and supporting lines.
• Use these pieces to diagnose balance issues before bringing them to full band rehearsal; small ensembles reveal intonation and blend problems immediately.
• Start with duets to build confidence, then layer in additional parts once your trumpet and baritone players establish secure intonation together.
• Record individual ensemble performances during contest season so students hear their own progress and can self-assess tuning and phrasing.

Schedule ensemble time during rehearsals specifically for mixed-instrument groups; these pieces work well when your full band is sectional-rehearsing. Assign trios and quartets to practice groups for home study, then feature the strongest performances in a studio recital or informal concert.

• Balancing with unfamiliar instrument combinations
• Playing both melody and accompaniment roles
• Listening and adjusting intonation in small ensembles
• Independence from a conductor
• Sight-reading multiple-part textures