Take the Lead: '90s Hits: Clarinet Book & CD

Stepping into the recording booth as a featured soloist. The familiar melodies from '90s radio hits pair with professional-quality accompaniments that make even a single player sound like they're performing with a full band. These arrangements honor the original songs' emotional core while keeping the technical demands within reach for intermediate clarinetists.

Clarinetists in grades 5-10 who want to play current and recent popular music with real instrumentation backing them up. This works for students in concert band or clarinet choir contexts who need engaging solos for recitals or ensemble showcases.

• Balance your vibrato carefully in the slow ballads like 'My Heart Will Go On' and 'The Air That I Breathe.' These songs live on sustained tone and emotional phrasing, so let the vibrato serve the lyrical line rather than dominate it.
• Anchor the rhythm section parts in uptempo numbers like 'Angels' and 'Frozen' by locking in with the recorded drums early. A few run-throughs with the accompaniment before performance prevents rhythm drift.
• Shape the dynamic contour through each song's chorus and verse structure. These arrangements rely on your articulation and volume choices to signal form, since the accompaniment stays relatively consistent.

Slot individual selections into a pops concert or variety show, where the recognizable titles pull in audiences beyond the usual classical repertoire crowd. Mix these throughout a concert season as standalone features or small-ensemble pieces that give clarinetists visibility without overstuffing the main program.

• Playing with rhythmic precision against recorded accompaniments
• Sustaining and shaping longer lyrical phrases over chord changes
• Controlling vibrato in both fast and slow contexts
• Interpreting pop-influenced articulation and phrasing
• Building confidence performing well-known melodies with stylistic authority