Accent on Performance Concert Favorites Collection: Percussion Book

This collection gives percussionists exactly what they need at this level: varied, concert-ready arrangements that feel contemporary and rewarding to perform, not like method-book filler. The 22 pieces span enough musical styles that you can program them throughout the year without repetition, and the writing respects the percussion section rather than reducing them to afterthoughts.

Fresh and purposeful. These arrangements avoid the predictable march-and-chorale rotation, instead pulling from contemporary concert band idioms that keep percussion engaged with real musical material. The variety in mood and texture means students experience everything from heroic fanfares to intricate rhythmic passages without losing sight of their role in the band's overall sound.

Percussionists in young concert bands, particularly those using Accent on Achievement as their method series. This collection is ideal for developing players who are ready to move beyond single-line exercises and tackle full ensemble parts that demand listening, rhythmic independence, and stylistic awareness.

• Balance mallet weight and articulation during sectional rehearsals; these pieces sit within the Accent on Achievement curriculum, so students developing fundamental control will benefit from focusing on consistent tone before tempo.
• Mark dynamic contrasts clearly in your parts and conduct them intentionally. Pieces like 'Centurian' and 'Knights Kingdom' rely on percussion to establish energy shifts that tie the band's interpretation together.
• Coordinate with your drumline early on difficult sections. These arrangements assume rhythmic precision from percussion, especially in contemporary-style pieces where syncopation or layered patterns define the orchestration.
• Experiment with mallet selection across the collection. The variety of styles means you'll move between yarn mallets, harder mallets, and brushes; having those options prepared prevents last-minute scrambling during rehearsal.

Distribute pieces throughout your concert calendar to match where students are in the method book. A piece aligned with page 47 of Accent on Achievement works best once your ensemble has built the technical foundation that page represents, so coordinate selections with your rehearsal calendar rather than programming the full book at once. Use this collection to give percussion meaningful solo opportunities in concert contexts, moving them beyond accompaniment roles.

• Reading and executing rhythmic patterns across multiple meters and styles
• Maintaining independence within a full ensemble texture
• Developing consistent mallet control and tone production in varied contexts
• Interpreting dynamic and stylistic markings that shape the band's interpretation
• Coordinating with other sections through precise rhythmic alignment