Sound Innovations for Concert Band: Ensemble Development for Advanced Concert Band: B-flat Clarinet 2 Book

This book delivers exactly what advanced concert band clarinetists need: targeted exercises that build technique and musicality alongside 70+ chorales by some of today's most respected band composers. The strategic organization by key and difficulty level means you can match the work to your ensemble's current focus without hunting through pages, and the variety within each category keeps students engaged while they master the same concept from multiple angles. Having Boonshaft and Bernotas designing these exercises ensures pedagogical depth that actually translates to better ensemble balance, intonation, and expressive playing.

Working through this book feels like uncovering layers of the music you're already playing in concert repertoire. The exercises start focused and purposeful, then the chorales by composers like David Gillingham and Robert Sheldon remind you that technical work always serves artistry. Second clarinet parts that are usually absorbed into the ensemble suddenly become vehicles for genuine musical expression and leadership within the harmonic fabric.

Advanced high school and college clarinet 2 players who are ready to move beyond foundational technique and tackle more sophisticated harmonic and rhythmic challenges. This book serves both ensemble rehearsals and private studio instruction, making it valuable for clarinetists preparing for auditions, ensemble festivals, or simply deepening their musicianship within a band setting.

• Work through the chorales systematically by key rather than randomly sampling them; this builds harmonic understanding and security in less familiar tonalities.
• Use the provided difficulty levels as a true guide for pacing. Advanced doesn't always mean fast or complex; sometimes it means sustained control and nuance, so trust the labeling.
• Isolate second clarinet passages that blur into the ensemble sound and rehearse them independently first, then gradually reintegrate with the full band to ensure clarity without shrillness.
• Rotate which exercises you assign based on the technical demands your band is currently addressing; if intonation in altissimo is your focus, choose exercises that concentrate there rather than spreading attention across all registers.

Dedicate the first 10 minutes of rehearsal each week to a single exercise or chorale, rotating through keys and difficulty levels aligned with your semester's concert repertoire. The chorales work particularly well as warm-up material before tackling demanding passages in your main repertoire, since they strengthen the same technical foundations and harmonic awareness without the complexity of a full piece.

• Secure playing in keys beyond the common five
• Control and clarity in altissimo and extended range
• Harmonic hearing and blend within the second clarinet section
• Stylistic interpretation through exposure to diverse chorale textures and compositional voices
• Rhythmic precision in intermediate to advanced meters and subdivisions
• Intonation adjustment in ensemble contexts, particularly in harmonic progressions