U.Play.Plus: More Pops: Clarinet Book

This collection solves a real programming need: you get ten recognizable pop and rock hits that students actually want to play, arranged by someone who understands mixed instrumentation from the ground up. The two-line score design means your clarinetists can be the melody carriers one moment and harmony players the next, building their confidence across both roles without the weight of a full score. That's exactly what Grade 2.5-3 students need to feel like they're playing real music, not exercises.

Playing these arrangements feels like being in a real band, not a textbook. The rhythmic energy of "Danger Zone" or "Celebration" crackles with life, while softer moments like "Dream a Little Dream of Me" give clarinetists space to shape a lyrical line. The palette spans funk, rock, and swing, so the book never feels one-dimensional.

This book serves clarinetists in heterogeneous bands and flexible ensembles, grades 2.5 and 3, where you need repertoire that works whether you have fifteen or five players. It's also ideal for clarinet choirs, small chamber groups, and mixed woodwind ensembles looking for contemporary material that's immediately recognizable and musically rewarding.

• Balance the harmony line (B, C, or D) against the melody so the clarinet section maintains presence even when playing supporting voices. Lightly articulate the accompanying line to create definition without overpower.
• Lock the rhythmic feel with the recorded rhythm section by following the drums and bass on the accompaniment track. Clarinetists often sit slightly ahead of the beat in these pop arrangements; tracking the click will tighten everything.
• Shape phrases by listening for where the melody breathes, then mirror that phrasing in your harmony line. This keeps the arrangement cohesive when multiple clarinets are reading different parts.

Drop individual selections into a concert program alongside your standard band repertoire for a pop or contemporary-themed concert. Mix and match titles for a chamber evening, where smaller clarinet combinations perform duets or trios, then build to a larger arrangement for finale. This book works especially well mid-year when students have developed enough facility to enjoy playing melody and want to experience music beyond the standard canon.

• Reading parallel two-line scores and understanding harmonic function in arranged music
• Ensemble balance between melody and supporting voice lines
• Rhythmic precision in contemporary pop and rock idioms
• Flexibility in instrumentation (cuing and doubling)
• Phrasing and articulation choices for different pop subgenres