Sound Innovations for Concert Band: Ensemble Development for Advanced Concert Band: Trombone 2 Book

This book strips away the filler and delivers exactly what an advanced trombonist needs: progressive technical work paired with 70+ chorales from composers like David Gillingham, Robert Sheldon, and Jack Stamp. The intelligent grouping by key and difficulty level means you can target specific passages or challenges without wasting rehearsal time on material that doesn't match your section's level.

Working through these exercises feels like climbing a well-designed trail; each exercise prepares you for the next challenge without overwhelming you. The variety of chorale composers means you're encountering real concert band voices and contemporary compositional language, not abstract drills.

Advanced concert band trombonists who are ready to move beyond foundational exercises and build the technical fluency and musicality expected at the highest high school and early college levels. This book serves trombone 2 players who need targeted development in advanced keys, mixed meters, and ensemble sensitivity without sacrificing rigor.

• Isolate the chorale passages in sectional rehearsals before incorporating them into full ensemble work; this builds intonation and blend at a manageable pace.
• Use the varied exercises in the same key category to diagnose where your slide technique needs refinement without repeating identical material.
• Apply the exercises as warmups during the week preceding a concert featuring contemporary or advanced repertoire; the technical foundation pays off immediately.
• Approach the more demanding passages with attention to ensemble balance; these aren't solos, even when your line stands out rhythmically.

Reserve these exercises for the core of your sectional rehearsals during the advanced repertoire season; they align naturally with the demands of contemporary concert band literature. Many directors use selected chorales as opening warmup material during full ensemble rehearsals when programming pieces by the same composers featured in the book.

• Reading and performing in advanced keys and key signatures
• Executing rapid slide positions with accuracy and speed
• Maintaining intonation and blend in lyrical chorale writing
• Interpreting stylistically diverse musical phrases from contemporary composers
• Sight-reading increasingly complex rhythmic and melodic passages
• Responding to dynamic and articulation demands in ensemble context