A significant addition to your concert band folders, "Keys To Success" is a daily approach to developing stellar sonority and technique with your ensemble. Combining traditional long tone and technique exercises/studies with original chorales, this is a rich resource that has been proven in the classroom over many years. Detailed teaching notes to the conductor are included providing invaluable information beyond most band technique books. Directors are encouraged to listen to the publisher-provided demonstration recording featuring a high school band who has used Keys To Success for years in the development of their ensembles from grades 9-12. A cost effective and teaching-focused resource for all concert bands!
Original Item#: RWS-2116-00
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Brian P. Dell is a composer and music educator whose work centers on the practical needs of school bands. His compositions and pedagogical materials reflect decades of classroom experience, with particular focus on building ensemble fundamentals through structured, purposeful exercises.
Why we love this
This resource stands apart because it integrates pedagogical depth with daily usability. The inclusion of detailed conductor notes transforms what could be routine warm-up material into a systematic approach to ensemble sound, and the demonstration recording from a high school band that has used this material for years proves it actually works across the full 9-12 grade span.
What to expect
The experience moves between focused silence (long tones developing core sound) and singing phrases (chorales that demand musical shape and sectional balance). The progression feels purposeful rather than rushed, giving players time to internalize what good sonority actually sounds like.
Who it's for
Concert band directors working with students in grades 9-12 who want a structured, research-backed approach to tone production and technical facility. This works equally well for groups just beginning their year and ensembles looking to refresh their fundamentals.
How to get the most out of it
Rotate through the long tone exercises and chorales in sequence rather than cherry-picking favorites; the cumulative approach is designed to address sonority development systematically over time.
Reference the conductor notes before each rehearsal section so you understand the pedagogical intent behind each exercise and can communicate the musical goal to your students clearly.
Use the demonstration recording to model the sound quality and blend you're working toward, especially when introducing chorales to younger ensembles.
How to use it
Use this as your consistent opening to every rehearsal, establishing a reliable 10-15 minute block that develops tone while settling the ensemble. The material works at any time of year and creates continuity across your entire program regardless of what repertoire you're performing.
Skills your students will build
Long tone control and breath management
Sectional balance and blend
Intonation matching through sustained phrases
Musical phrasing within technical exercises
Listening to ensemble sound rather than individual performance
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