Accent on Ensembles, Book 2: Mallet Percussion Book

These mallet percussion parts give your percussion section real music to play rather than filler parts. The flexible instrumentation means you can write for whoever shows up on any given rehearsal day, and the pieces correlate directly with your band's main method book, so reading levels stay aligned with what students are already learning.

A mix of familiar melodies and march-like energy that keeps young percussionists engaged. The arrangements move between straightforward unison lines, gentle overlapping passages, and moments where mallets carry the melody, offering variety without requiring advanced technical facility.

Mallet players in beginning band programs who are ready for ensemble work beyond method book exercises. This book serves players roughly at the Book 2 level who benefit from context-specific parts that match their band's concurrent repertoire and skill trajectory.

• Balance mallet selection to the character of each tune; harder mallets bring brightness to the march sections, while softer ones suit the lyrical passages in 'Londonderry Air' and 'Dona Nobis Pacem'.
• Lock the rhythm section by having mallets and bass line establish the pulse together from the first rehearsal of each arrangement.
• Adjust dynamic markings based on your ensemble's balance; mallet percussion can easily overwhelm thinner instrumentation in smaller groups.
• Work the blues section in 'Stompin' Feet Blues' as a special rehearsal item, since the syncopation and swing feel may differ from the mostly straightforward rhythms elsewhere in the book.

Pull duets and trios for sectional rehearsals or small ensemble festivals when you need focused percussion work. The quartets work well as warm-up or enrichment pieces during regular rehearsals, and the collection supplies contest-ready material that your mallets can prepare alongside the full band's concurrent selections.

• Reading rhythmic figures in coordination with other percussion parts
• Playing melodic material on pitched percussion instruments
• Balancing articulation and tone across multiple mallets playing together
• Adapting mallet choices and dynamics to ensemble context