Away We Go: 3rd Trombone Book

The First Division Band Course books remain the gold standard for building confident intermediate players because they treat every section part as equally musical. Assigning dedicated music to 3rd trombone ensures bass clef players stay engaged and invested in the ensemble sound, not sidelined with simplified doublings.

Honest, straightforward music that respects young musicians' growing musicality without patronizing them. The pieces move between lyrical passages that require control and rhythmic sections that demand precision and ensemble awareness.

Third trombone players in concert bands preparing for festival participation or ensemble development. This book works for students transitioning from beginner method materials into more substantial concert repertoire while still building technical and reading confidence.

• Match the balance of the lower brass section by listening carefully to the baritones and basses; your part often anchors harmonic movement that others depend on.
• Watch for dynamic changes specific to your voice that differ from upper trombones; Erickson frequently writes independence into the lower parts to add color and texture.
• Work on consistent tone production across your range, especially in the lower register where intonation challenges emerge in student playing.

Use these selections as core material for fall and spring concert preparation, building familiarity across a season while students develop facility with the lower trombone register. Pair them with full band arrangements from the same series to ensure all trombone voices receive cohesive pedagogy and comparable musical material.

• Reading bass clef with confidence and accuracy
• Balancing within the lower brass section
• Sustaining long tones with consistent intonation
• Executing rhythmic precision in ensemble contexts
• Interpreting dynamic markings and style indications
• Building independence as the foundational voice rather than a doubled part