Concert Time Beginning Band Book 1 - Clarinet 1: Clarinet 1 Method Book

This collection balances the pedagogical needs of first-year students with genuine musical interest. Rather than recycling exercise-like progressions, Balmages and his co-composers vary style and technique across the 15 pieces, keeping students engaged while they're still building foundational skills. The strategic mix of repertoire gives you tools for early-season ensemble building and mid-year concerts without requiring your students to wait until spring to play real music.

The book feels like a curated concert program rather than a workbook. Each piece inhabits its own musical character and genre; you'll move from march-like energy to ballad writing to rhythmic exploration without feeling like you're drilling the same musical idea in different keys.

First-year clarinet students working within a beginning band setting will find this book essential. Second-year students benefit from starting the year here as well, using the earlier pieces to reconnect with fundamentals and the later ones to stay challenged.

• Assign the pieces strategically across your rehearsal calendar rather than playing through the book sequentially. Space contrasting styles (march followed by lyrical piece) to sustain attention during sectional and full-band rehearsals.
• Use individual pieces as warm-up vehicles when one focuses specifically on clarinet technique relevant to that day's objectives. Students notice when a 'method piece' directly addresses what you're working on.
• Record your band playing each piece once it's solid enough. Replay the recordings at the start of the following rehearsal so students hear their progress without commentary from you.

Open your fall concerts with a selection of these pieces while you're simultaneously building technique. The variety means you can program a single piece as a standalone moment or group three related pieces together for a mini-suite effect, all without the book feeling incomplete.

• Reading across varied compositional styles and rhythmic patterns
• Tone production and control in both lyrical and articulated passages
• Sight-reading fluency through repeated exposure to new material
• Understanding of form and phrasing across different musical genres
• Ensemble blend and listening within a concert band texture