Share the Lead: Chart Hits: Clarinet Book & CD

Smooth, radio-friendly melodies set to polished accompaniments. The collection captures the emotional directness of these songs, whether they're uptempo singalong moments or slow ballads that ask for patient, connected phrasing.

Intermediate clarinetists (roughly grades 4-6) who want to play contemporary songs outside the classical repertoire. Studio teachers and band directors can use these as motivational solos or informal performance material for students who need engagement with recognizable popular music.

• Balance tone production across the break; these melodies often sit in the upper register where clarity matters more than power.
• Lean into vibrato tastefully on held notes and phrase endings to match the vocal warmth of the original recordings.
• Listen closely to the recorded accompaniment before performing to internalize the tempo and phrasing of each arrangement.
• Shape longer phrases by identifying the lyrical intent of each song, even though you're playing without words.

Feature one of these in a casual concert or student recital day to break up the formal classical program with something the audience will sing along to. They also work well as sight-reading challenges in rehearsal or as incentive repertoire for students progressing through their method studies.

• Playing contemporary pop melodies with stylistic accuracy
• Sustaining long phrases without breath breaks in strategic places
• Responding to recorded accompaniments with rhythmic precision
• Managing upper register tone and intonation across sustained passages
• Vibrato control and expressive phrasing in non-classical contexts