Solo Performer Series, Volume 1: Clarinet & Piano Book

A journey through some of classical music's most recognizable melodies, all of them singing naturally on the clarinet. There's an elegance to these arrangements that never feels forced; the keyboard supports without overwhelming, letting the clarinet's lyrical qualities take center stage.

Advanced high school clarinetists and college players who need concert-ready material that doesn't require a full orchestra or extensive rehearsal coordination. Wedding musicians, church soloists, and recital performers will all find dependable repertoire here.

• Balance the clarinet's sound against the piano from the very first rehearsal; these arrangements expose both instruments, so neither should disappear behind the other.
• Study the Largo from the New World Symphony as your anchor piece. Its familiar melody sits well on the clarinet, making it a good reference for the collection's overall approach to tessitura and phrasing.
• Mark the rubato points carefully with your pianist partner. Pieces like Air from Orchestral Suite in D benefit from slight flexibility, but you need agreement on where that breathing room lives.

Build a solo recital around these pieces, mixing familiar favorites like the Largo from Winter with lesser-performed works such as The Prince and the Princess from Scheherazade to give audiences variety. Use individual selections as featured solos during chamber concerts or as opening numbers before larger ensemble pieces.

• Long-line phrasing across extended melodic passages
• Dynamic control and expression in slow movements
• Clarity in octave registers (high clarinet vs. lower tessitura)
• Collaborative listening with piano accompaniment
• Ornamentation and stylistic variation in baroque and romantic repertoire