Sound Innovations for Concert Band: Ensemble Development for Advanced Concert Band: B-flat Trumpet 1 Book

The contribution list reads like a master class in modern wind band composition. Boonshaft and Bernotas gathered chorales from Sheldon, Gillingham, Stamp, and others whose work defines the advanced repertoire your students will encounter in all-state and college programs. The 399 exercises organized by key with graduated difficulty means you're not teaching from a generic method book; you're building the exact ensemble skills that serious programs demand.

Moving through these exercises feels like climbing a well-constructed path; each key and difficulty level builds naturally on what came before. The presence of genuine compositions by recognized concert band writers means students are engaging with real musical ideas, not exercises written primarily for pedagogical isolation.

Advanced high school trumpet players who have moved beyond foundational technique and are ready for ensemble-focused development. This book serves programs preparing for district and state competitions, as well as directors who incorporate method book work into regular rehearsal.

• Study the chorale selections before ensemble rehearsal to identify the harmonic movement and voice leading; knowing the composer's intent helps your section understand where the trumpet line sits in the larger texture.
• Rotate through exercises in the same key rather than drilling all of them in one rehearsal; this variety keeps the technical work fresh while reinforcing harmonic thinking.
• Use the intermediate-to-advanced difficulty progression as a guide for pacing, but don't treat it as linear; move students forward when they demonstrate secure intonation and stylistic control, not simply when they've completed pages.
• Record your section on the more challenging chorales to develop awareness of balance and blend; advanced players benefit from hearing themselves as part of the whole, not just their individual line.

Deploy this during rehearsal warm-ups organized by the key of your current concert piece; when preparing a work in D major, pull the D major exercises to sharpen intonation and style before tackling the literature itself. The chorale collection also works beautifully in smaller sectional rehearsals or private lessons, giving advanced students ownership of their growth between ensemble rehearsals.

• Harmonic function and voice leading across exercises grouped by key
• Stylistic interpretation of contemporary concert band composers
• Intonation within extended key areas and harmonic progressions
• Balance and ensemble blend across intermediate-to-advanced difficulty levels
• Flexibility in moving between technical exercises and musical expression