Frank Erickson High School Band Course: 3rd B-flat Trumpet Book (Texas Edition)

Erickson's method books remain standards in high school band rooms because they treat every part as musically legitimate. Third trumpet players get rewarding countermelody and harmonic work rather than perfunctory reinforcement of the principal line, which keeps every section engaged and invested in the ensemble sound.

Straightforward and purposeful. Erickson's voice doesn't aim for novelty or surprise; instead, he creates pieces that feel inevitable once you play them, with clean harmonic progressions and logical phrasing that reward focused attention to intonation and balance.

Third trumpet players in high school concert bands seeking a method that develops both technical facility and musicality. This book works equally well for students building foundational skills and more experienced players reinforcing ensemble awareness and part independence.

• Balance your tone with the first and second trumpets. Listen critically to whether your part sits naturally in the ensemble texture or pulls forward; Erickson's voicings depend on restrained, blended sound quality.
• Mark breathing spots clearly before rehearsal. Third trumpet parts move through harmonic content that may not align with obvious musical phrases, so plan air management strategically.
• Work articulation consistency with the full trumpet section. Erickson's style depends on unified tonguing approaches across all three parts, so rehearse sectionally before full ensemble run-throughs.

Build your fall concert repertoire around Erickson material from this book paired with one or two contrasting contemporary works. The systematic progression of difficulty matches a typical rehearsal calendar and gives students solid wins early in the season, building confidence for more ambitious programming later.

• Harmonic function awareness in tertiary voice parts
• Intonation matching and blend in three-part brass voicings
• Independence from the melody line while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Reading in multiple articulation styles within a single piece
• Breath management across varying phrase structures