Frank Erickson High School Band Course: 2nd Trombone Book (Texas Edition)

Erickson's 2nd trombone part strikes the balance second players need: substantial enough to feel genuinely musical, but written with full awareness of where second-part students sit developmentally. The Texas Edition continues his tradition of clear pedagogical progression without sacrificing the character that keeps young trombonists engaged.

Straightforward and purposeful. Erickson writes music that sounds complete and satisfying even within the constraints of a developing section, with enough melodic interest and harmonic support to remind students why they're learning their instrument.

Second trombone players in high school band programs, whether they're building foundational skills in earlier sections or maintaining solid technical and musical habits as the course progresses. This book works equally well in traditional concert band settings and in programs using the Erickson method across multiple grades.

• Balance tone production with the 1st trombone line; your part anchors the harmonic foundation, so match their resonance and weight rather than playing beneath them.
• Pay attention to the dynamic markings in context with the full band sound. Second parts often carry middle-register voices that disappear if under-projected.
• Work position changes ahead of time on pieces with frequent shifts. Erickson's writing is idiomatic, but fluency comes from deliberate practice, not sight-reading alone.

Use the Texas Edition as your primary second trombone method text, working through it sequentially with your mid-level players. The material aligns well with standard concert band repertoire, so pieces studied here will transfer directly to the octaves and harmonies your ensemble encounters in performance music.

• Reading both treble and bass clef with fluency in the upper to middle register
• Sustaining tone quality across dynamic ranges
• Executing smooth, accurate position changes
• Playing harmonic parts that support the melodic line without overshadowing it
• Recognizing and responding to style markings across classical, march, and popular idioms