Band Expressions™, Book Two: Student Edition: Trombone Book & CD

Band Expressions, Book Two balances rigorous music literacy instruction with engaging, real-world musicianship. The curriculum was built from the ground up around National Standards rather than retrofitted to them, which means every lesson serves both musical growth and literacy development without feeling forced. The inclusion of 78 accompaniment tracks on the accompanying CD transforms practice from isolated technical work into collaborative musical experiences.

Band Expressions, Book Two strikes a balance between purposeful technique building and genuine musical satisfaction. Students encounter carefully sequenced exercises that don't feel like drudgery alongside diverse repertoire that sounds like real band music, creating the experience of being part of something musical rather than simply doing drills.

This book serves trombone students in developing bands, typically grades 4-7, who are ready to move beyond foundational mechanics into more substantive musicianship. Teachers seeking a standards-aligned curriculum that doesn't sacrifice musical interest or engagement will find Band Expressions specifically designed to meet both instructional rigor and student motivation.

• Encourage students to sing passages aloud before playing them. The vocal approach helps establish secure intonation and phrasing, especially in trombone where breath control and slide position work together.
• Use the recorded accompaniments during rehearsal to establish part independence. Have trombone players maintain their line while listening carefully to how other voices support the harmonic structure.
• Mark slide positions clearly in difficult passages. Having visual anchors prevents tension and builds confidence during sight-reading sections.
• Work through the glossary definitions together as a class rather than assigning them individually. Discussing musical terminology in context makes the vocabulary stick and connects it to pieces students are actually playing.

Deploy this curriculum as your primary band method for the second year of instruction, using the accompaniment tracks to build ensemble cohesion across your full band section. The historical notes on band composers provide natural entry points for program notes or pre-concert discussions, deepening students' connection to the music they're learning.

• Slide position reading and intonation accuracy in varied keys
• Sustained tone production and breath management across dynamic ranges
• Rhythmic precision in mixed meters and syncopated figures
• Counting in compound meter (6/8, 9/8) and complex time signatures
• Sight-reading fluency with accidentals and key signature changes
• Ensemble listening and part independence with accompaniment tracks
• Musical terminology recognition and application
• Legit and articulation techniques (staccato, accents, tenuto)