Duets for All: Tenor Saxophone Book

This collection solves the real problem of finding quality duet literature that works across instrumental combinations. Stoutamire's arrangements respect the original composers while keeping the writing idiomatic for saxophone, and the range from baroque to contemporary means you can program pieces that fit your concert theme without compromise.

Playful, musical, and rarely predictable. You move from the sharp military precision of Prokofiev's March to the delicate counterpoint of a Telemann Bourree to the quirky character writing of Shostakovich's Mechanical Doll. Each piece is short enough to digest quickly but substantial enough to reveal new details in repeated rehearsals.

Tenor saxophonists in school bands and jazz ensembles who need accessible duet literature for two players of similar or slightly different ability levels. This collection works equally well for private lesson pairings, chamber groups, or concert programming that includes duets.

• Balance the two parts as equal partners rather than treating one as melody and one as accompaniment. Both saxophonists should listen actively and adjust dynamics so both lines come through.
• Work through the style markers carefully. A Baroque Bourree requires different articulation and phrasing than a Kabalevsky contemporary piece; let the original composer's intent guide your interpretation.
• Use the grade levels as a starting point, but don't assume both parts are identical in difficulty. Check whether one saxophonist has a more exposed or technically demanding role and rehearse strategically.

Feature a duet on a winter or spring concert as a change of pace from large ensemble numbers. The variety of styles means you can program pieces across multiple concerts without repetition, and the flexible difficulty makes it easy to showcase advancing students alongside experienced ones.

• Balanced ensemble listening and response
• Stylistic awareness across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and contemporary repertoire
• Articulation control and independence from a musical partner
• Sight-reading confidence through exposure to varied melodic and rhythmic patterns
• Phrasing that honors both individual lines and the unified duet texture