Up-Grade! Trumpet, Grades 1-2: Trumpet Book

Wedgwood's gift for writing engaging yet musically honest material shines across these 12 pages. The mix of jazz-tinged rhythms and classical forms keeps students motivated without sacrificing musical substance, making progress between grades feel rewarding rather than repetitive.

A collection that bounces between rhythmic snap and lyrical warmth. You move from upbeat jazz grooves that invite playful phrasing to more introspective classical-style melodies that ask for tonal refinement, all while staying squarely within the player's comfort range.

Trumpet players progressing through Grades 1-2 who need engaging repertoire between formal exam study. Students benefit from material that keeps practice sessions lively and reinforces techniques in real musical contexts rather than isolated exercises.

• Swing the rhythms in the jazz pieces with confidence; treat them as style exploration, not novelty, and the trumpet will sing naturally through the syncopation.
• Balance articulation clarity with legato phrasing across the contrasting pieces; the shifts between styles demand flexible tonguing that stays relaxed.
• Let the classical sections sit on sustained tones to build tone quality; these moments offer as much technical value as the rhythmically active pieces.

Use these pieces as supplementary recital material or informal performance opportunities between graded exams. They work well in mixed-instrument student recitals because their accessible level and standalone character integrate easily into varied programs.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated and swing contexts
• Legato and articulated phrasing across multiple musical styles
• Sustained tone production and intonation awareness
• Jazz interpretation and swing feel
• Reading melodic lines across the mid-range of the trumpet