Band Today, Part 1: B-flat Clarinet Book

Band Today anchors beginning clarinet players in a method designed by someone who spent nearly two decades in public school classrooms. The book's integration with the full Contemporary Band Course ecosystem means your clarinetists develop alongside the entire band, not in isolation, creating cohesion from day one. Ployhar's extensive orchestration background ensures the writing is musically intelligent and the pedagogical progression feels purposeful rather than arbitrary.

Straightforward and purposeful. Band Today moves at a measured pace, building from whole notes and simple rhythms into recognizable melodic shapes. The writing respects the clarinet's natural register transitions and avoids unnecessary technical leaps, creating a sense of steady accomplishment rather than struggle.

Beginning clarinetists in full band classes or private instruction settings who need foundational technique, reading fluency, and ensemble awareness simultaneously. This book works for students starting at the school band level or those receiving individual instruction who will eventually join a concert band.

• Coordinate clarinet entries with the full band using the method's correlated ensemble arrangements; isolated practice builds technical foundation, but rehearsing parts within the band context reinforces intonation and blend from the start.
• Balance the early exercises with the supplementary technic books from the Contemporary Band Course to reinforce concepts without repeating the same material.
• Encourage students to mark fingerings and dynamic changes directly in their books during the first read-through to reduce cognitive load and build confident sight-reading habits.
• Reference the rudimentary theory books alongside lessons to ground note-reading, rhythm, and key signatures in applied context rather than abstract study.

Deploy this as your foundational text for clarinet sections in developing band programs; the method's architecture supports both heterogeneous ability levels and sectional independence when needed. The supplementary materials allow you to differentiate within the same curricular framework, making it practical for schools building band from scratch or rebuilding after disruption.

• Single-line melodic reading in treble clef
• Whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note rhythms
• Basic articulation and dynamic control
• Intonation matching within ensemble contexts
• Fingering accuracy in the lower and middle registers
• Part independence within four-part band textures