John Kinyon's Concert Favorites for Young Band: 1st Clarinet Book

Kinyon understood the specific challenge of getting big sound from young players with limited technical skill. This collection pulls his most effective pieces into one book, giving your first clarinet section music that sits well on their instruments and actually rewards ensemble work with satisfying results.

A mix of familiar melodies and sturdy march rhythms designed to let young clarinetists feel part of something larger. The pieces balance confidence-building simplicity with enough musical shape to keep players engaged and audiences entertained.

First clarinet players in grades 4-6 who are ready for material beyond method books but still need accessible, rewarding repertoire. Directors assembling concert programs for young bands will find 16 pages of performance-ready classics, marches, holiday arrangements, and novelty selections that engage young players without requiring advanced technical facility.

• Balance the melody line against the fuller harmony voices around you; young bands often bloom when first clarinets play with confidence rather than pulling back.
• Use the simpler harmonic progressions in these pieces to lock your part solidly to the ensemble sound, which builds ensemble listening habits early.
• In holiday and novelty selections, shape phrases as you would in band literature at the next level up; these pieces sound fresher when phrased intentionally.

Distribute these pieces across your concert calendar: select a march for a contest or formal concert, a holiday piece for December programs, and a novelty selection when you want to showcase personality without overwhelming your young section. The range of styles makes it easy to build varied programs without hunting through multiple books.

• Playing a clear melody line in ensemble context
• Responding to dynamic and style changes across multiple piece types
• Reading and executing quarter note, eighth note, and simple rhythmic patterns
• Maintaining consistent tone while supporting fuller band sound
• Adapting to march, ballad, and novelty articulation styles