Movie Duets for All: Trombone, Baritone B.C., Bassoon, Tuba Book

Story's arrangements preserve the memorable melodies and energy of these iconic movie moments while building in genuine musical interest for every part. The scaffolded difficulty within each piece (Grade 1 to 3-4) means your entire section can read from the same book, rehearse together, and perform as one unit regardless of experience level. That flexibility, combined with repertoire your students actually know and love, transforms what could be a basic reading exercise into genuine performance opportunity.

These are the movie moments you already know by heart. Performing them with a colleague creates immediate musicality and storytelling, even at Grade 1. There's no struggle to connect with the material; the fun is in the playing itself.

This book works for any trombone, baritone, bassoon, or tuba player from beginning through intermediate level. It's especially valuable for programs with mixed instrument combinations in the same lesson space or ensemble, or for directors building confidence in newer players by pairing them with more experienced ones on repertoire they recognize.

• Balance the melody line across your lower brass and woodwind section. Since parts move between instruments across the duet pairings, make sure whoever holds the tune at any given moment projects without overwhelming the accompaniment voice.
• Lean into the stylistic character of each movie. Singin' in the Rain needs a lighter touch and bounce; Star Wars demands weight and precision; Be Our Guest thrives on theatrical energy. Let the source material guide your phrasing and articulation choices.
• Rehearse the score as written, with both parts sounding together, even if you eventually perform some duets with instruments from other books. This reinforces ensemble listening and prevents isolated part-playing habits.
• Use the mixed-skill structure as a teaching tool. Pair your strongest readers with developing ones on the same piece so both players feel challenged and supported.

Program individual duets on student recitals, family concerts, or festivals as confident, crowd-pleasing performances. You can also use them as warm-up material in full ensemble rehearsal, rotating duet pairings so different combinations of instruments explore the same arrangements. This builds section cohesion and gives every player experience trading melody and harmony lines.

• Reading in multiple clefs (treble and bass)
• Balancing melodic and accompaniment lines in duet contexts
• Sustaining phrasing and breath management across longer phrases
• Adapting articulation and dynamic control to different musical styles
• Listening and responding to another player's part in real time