I wondered what the various collections of easy trombone music are like; things like "Time pieces for Trombone" or "First book of Trombone solos" and whether teachers use them with their pupils.

My daughter started the trombone with a de Haske tutor book (I think in English it's called "Read, Listen and Play") which she used for about a year and a half. She has now progressed onto "real" music and I have to buy each piece individually. They are all pieces by contemporary French composers which with postage (I have failed to find an online site which sells them postage free) work out at between 15 and 20 euros each. Not only am I starting to find it rather expensive but they are all very similar (despite being by different composers). They are all in three parts with a slower middle section (which is often a waltz and often involves a key change) and all the piano parts rely heavily on octaves in the left-hand for their harmonisation.

Does she need to have every score?
Can she borrow any from the teacher?
Can any be found on Free-Scores?
Can you get a list of things that your daughter will be needing in advance to save on postage, by ordering all in one go?
Have you tried amazon?
Have I asked too many questions ?

Have a look at the Petrucci Library - I have recently found that for piano music it is fantastic and the only things I haven't been able to find on there are contemporary composers - everything other piece (and plenty more) that I've been about to buy has been on there.

I'm not sure what it's library for other instruments is like, but it's worth a try surely.

Petrucci Library Link

Hello Cello and Cadence they are all contemporary composers so in copyright and not available for download. I can't buy them in one go because I don't know in advance what she is going to need.

I was also wondering about the Time Pieces type books for a bit of variety in style. There don't seem to be an enormous amount of books like this in French. For the cello my daughter uses collections of pieces but they are all English ones (cello time joggers, runners, etc. Position Pieces...). Most of them her cello teacher told me to buy but I bought a copy of Time Pieces for cello book 1 second-hand in a "lot" from e-bay which her cello teacher had never seen before. She was so impressed that she wrote down the references and ordered all three for herself. Similarly I printed out the AB and Trinity/Guildhall exam requirements for my oboe teacher because he was interested in what English people did and he got quite excited about the number of collection type books that are available as he said he is thoroughly bored of the only two that exist in French.

I'll go and have a rummage, 'Bone Son is currently clearing out his room ready for redecorating. He too started with the De Haske book and I've definitely also bought Time Pieces and Easy Jazz 'Tudes (or something similar) which has been a popular studies book. His teacher tends to ask for music collections which the next couple of ABRSM grades have a few pieces from. Hope this helps.

Update: I've just found 'The Magic Trombone' edited and arranged by Nicholas Hare (B&H), Tons of Tunes for the Holidays (Curnow) and Going Solo - Alan Gout/ Faber. These have all been very well used atvarious stages between beginner and grade 5/6.

Thanks Minstrel