Trios for All Occasions: 3 Trombones Score & Parts

A tour through familiar musical territory rendered fresh through intelligent three-part writing. You move from ceremonial grandeur to gentle reflection, peppered with character pieces that let the trombone section show off its rhythmic and expressive range without demanding extreme technical display.

Intermediate to advanced trombonists looking for practical ensemble repertoire beyond standard method books. Band and orchestra directors benefit from music that works equally well in school concerts, church services, or community performance settings. This collection also serves trombone teachers building chamber music skills with private students or small group lessons.

• Balance the three voices by rotating who plays melody and harmony across the collection. This keeps intonation sharp and prevents the same trombonist from tiring in the upper register across multiple pieces.
• The dance-inflected pieces (Little Brown Jug, The Dwarfs March Home, The Entertainer) need rhythmic precision from all three parts. Tap the pulse together before each entrance to lock the groove.
• Sacred pieces like Abide with Me and Christ the Lord Is Risen Today benefit from slower breath marks between phrases. Give yourself space rather than rushing through the harmonic changes.
• When performing arrangements of well-known melodies, resist the urge to rush. Audiences come with expectations; steady tempos and clean voice independence will earn their attention more than speed.

Build a short trombone feature concert within a larger band or orchestra concert using a handful of contrasting pieces. The formal works anchor a program, while ragtime and folk arrangements provide lighter moments that audiences remember. Solo and ensemble contests also benefit from having three strong options at different tempos and moods.

• Independent voice leading across similar ranges
• Balance and blend in like-instrument trios
• Phrasing in both lyrical and rhythmically driven styles
• Reading and executing clear harmonic function (melody, countermelody, bass line)
• Stylistic flexibility across baroque, classical, sacred, and popular idioms