Concert Repertoire for Alto Saxophone: Alto Saxophone & Piano Book

Harris and Calland have curated this collection with real awareness of what Grade 5-7 players actually need: pieces substantial enough to matter musically, but written with the saxophonist's voice in mind rather than adapted from other instruments. The range of styles means you'll find repertoire for contests, recitals, and those moments when you need something that sounds more advanced than it plays.

A collection that respects your growing musicianship without condescension. You'll encounter genuine stylistic variety, thoughtfully voiced piano parts that listen to you, and arrangements that challenge your tone and phrasing rather than just your technical facility.

Alto saxophonists in grades 5 through 7 who have solid fundamentals and are ready for repertoire with genuine musical substance. This collection serves students preparing for festivals, solo recitals, or simply looking to expand beyond method books into real concert material.

• Invest time in the piano part before sectional rehearsals. Many of these arrangements sit on harmonic sophistication that the accompanist needs to shape clearly.
• Record yourself playing the melodic lines solo, then layer in the piano accompaniment. This helps you hear your phrasing independently before blending.
• Mark dynamic changes and articulation shifts during your first read-through; Harris's writing often uses these to create musical architecture rather than decoration.

Consider pairing selections with your concert programming to give students ownership over specific pieces rather than assigning etudes. The breadth means you can pull one work for a student recital, another for a chamber context, and still have fresh material for your spring concert.

• Phrasing across longer melodic lines with varied harmonic support
• Balancing against a sophisticated piano texture
• Stylistic flexibility across multiple genres and periods
• Musical independence and interpretive decision-making at the intermediate level