Sound Innovations for Concert Band: Ensemble Development for Advanced Concert Band: Percussion 1 Book

Boonshaft and Bernotas have crafted a genuinely progressive resource that respects where advanced students are musically while pushing them forward. The inclusion of chorales by twelve respected concert band composers (Gillingham, Stamp, Sheldon, and others) means students encounter real compositional voices, not generic exercises. The flexible structure lets you address specific ensemble needs without working linearly through the book.

These exercises move beyond keeping time. You'll find yourself listening to harmonic motion, responding to phrase shape, and matching the musicality of the entire ensemble. The chorales carry real compositional intent, making every measure feel purposeful rather than mechanical.

Advanced concert band programs where percussion players need focused work on musicianship, not just technical facility. This book serves advanced high school bands, college ensembles, and serious community bands that want their percussion section reading at the same level as the rest of the band.

• Work through the chorales in rehearsal before assigning them as individual study; discussing voice leading and phrasing as a group establishes higher standards for subsequent practice.
• Rotate which percussion parts you focus on within each exercise to ensure Percussion 1 players understand their role in the larger harmonic context, not just their own line.
• Use the key-grouped organization to reinforce concert band fundamentals: spend a week on exercises in one key, then rotate to the next, allowing students to build comfort before increasing complexity.
• Record your ensemble working through a chorale; playback reveals intonation issues and timing drift that feel invisible during performance.

Build this into your standard warm-up rotation during the season when your band is preparing concert music by any of the featured composers; students will recognize and connect with their voices. Use the intermediate-to-advanced graded exercises to scaffold difficulty as you prepare for festival season or spring concerts.

• Reading and sustaining parts within four-part harmonic writing
• Ensemble intonation and balance in the context of choir-style exercises
• Responding to phrase structure and musical shape across 399 varied exercises
• Sight-reading fluency across intermediate and advanced difficulty levels
• Understanding percussion's role as harmonic support, not just rhythmic anchor