Step It Up! Clarinet, Grade 1-3: Clarinet Book & CD

Jazz-inflected and modern, without abandoning the clarity and precision young clarinet players need to develop. The familiar melodies sit alongside original writing that doesn't condescend, students feel challenged and rewarded in the same book.

Early-intermediate clarinetists who need variety beyond standard method books. This works equally well for beginning players in second year and for those making the jump from supervised lessons into ensemble settings.

• Layer the unaccompanied pieces into sectional rehearsals to build confidence in intonation without the safety net of accompaniment.
• Rotate duets as warm-ups to establish blend and balance before full ensemble work.
• Record student performances against the backing tracks and play them back; students hear their own rhythmic accuracy and tone quality immediately.
• Balance graded difficulty by assigning duets strategically, pair stronger readers with developing ones to support sight-reading growth.

Open a concert with one of the jazzy pieces to signal that clarinet has a contemporary voice. The duets also work as standalone performance numbers for smaller shows or holiday programs where featuring individual students matters.

• Swing rhythm and jazz articulation
• Balance and blend in duet textures
• Reading with backing track accompaniment
• Intonation and tone control in unaccompanied passages
• Musical phrasing beyond metronomic playing