Accent on Performance Light Concert Collection: Alto Clarinet Book

These 22 arrangements deliver genuine musical variety without demanding advanced technical skills, making them ideal for concerts where you want to program substance without predictability. Alto clarinet players finally get parts that sit comfortably in the band texture while maintaining independence, which means your reed section contributes real character to each number.

Expect arrangements that sparkle with personality and cultural warmth. You'll move from the infectious swing of "Stand Up and Swing" to the narrative arc of "River Trilogy," discovering that concert band music need not be solemn or predictable. The alto clarinet weaves through these pieces with genuine responsibility, never relegated to background harmony.

Alto clarinet players in grades 4-6 concert bands who are ready for more sophisticated musical material and stylistic variety. Directors seeking 22 performance-ready pieces that engage audiences while reinforcing fundamentals learned through Accent on Achievement or any standard band method.

• Balance the alto clarinet line carefully in ensemble sections; its register can either anchor harmonies or disappear depending on voicing. Listen for where the alto sits relative to first and second clarinet.
• In the jazz and Latin pieces, commit fully to the stylistic articulation marked in your part. Half-hearted swing rhythms and Latin grooves flatten quickly.
• Where the alto clarinet doubles a melody, match the dynamic arc of the lead voice rather than playing mechanically. This is especially important in the folk-based arrangements.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to lock tempo and style, but rehearse without it regularly so the band owns the groove independent of the track.

Use these pieces throughout the school year to build concert programs with real thematic coherence and variety. Several titles work as openers or closers; others fit naturally between more demanding classical selections as palette cleansers. The rock and Latin arrangements are particularly effective late in the year when audiences appreciate contemporary energy.

• Reading and performing in multiple time signatures and jazz/Latin rhythmic figures
• Stylistic interpretation across folk, rock, jazz, and Latin genres
• Balancing independence with ensemble texture in mid-range voicing
• Articulation clarity and flexibility across varied musical contexts
• Intonation awareness in harmonic contexts beyond traditional concert band voicings