Educational guide
Methods and Repertoire for Conservatory Courses
Studying the euphonium at a professional level calls for a clear view of the available training paths, of foundational technique, and of the solo repertoire required by academic programs. To offer practical guidance to all students, we have gathered and summarized the main teaching methods and reference pieces used in Italian Conservatories.
Course of study
Structure of the academic courses
Preparatory Courses — 1-3 years
Preparation for university-level entry. Embouchure setting, breathing, sound control, hand/tongue coordination, sight-reading and first articulations.
Three-Year Academic Level I — 3 years
Basic and intermediate university-level training. Development of flexibility, extension of the upper and lower registers, mastery of classical, baroque and contemporary repertoire.
Two-Year Academic Level II — 2 years
Advanced training and specialization. Absolute mastery of the instrument, solo repertoire of the highest difficulty, performance practice, contemporary music and orchestral/band excerpts.
This collection was made possible thanks to the invaluable collaboration of the following teachers:
Reference note: the texts, methods and pieces listed in this guide are purely indicative and intended as general guidance, meant to illustrate the cornerstones of the instrument's pedagogy and literature. For teaching regulations, exam procedures and complete, detailed study programs, please refer to the official websites of the individual Conservatories.
Part 1
Studies — Recommended Teaching Methods
The methods below cover the entire course of study, from basic setup through to preparation for competitions and solo performances, organized by technical objective.
Complete Methods and General Treatises
Tone production, scales, arpeggios, articulation and general mechanics
- Jean-Baptiste Arban — Complete Method for Trombone/Euphonium
- Gioacchino Bimboni — Corso teorico-pratico per Flicorno; Metodo progressivo per Trombone
- Domenico Gatti — Gran Metodo teorico-pratico per Cornetta o Flicorno
- Giuseppe Mariani — Metodo elementare e progressivo per Cornetta e Flicorni; Metodo popolare per Flicorno
- Serse Peretti — Metodo per Trombone a tiro; Nuova scuola d'insegnamento del trombone a macchina e congeneri
- Gustavo Rossari — Metodo per Trombone e Bombardino
- Allen Vizzutti — The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method (vols. 1, 2, 3)
Warm-Ups, Daily Routines and Mechanism
Muscle maintenance, sound centering, coordination and fast scales
- Herbert L. Clarke — Technical Studies for the Cornet
- Charles Colin — 100 Original Warm-Ups
- Robert Marsteller — Basic Routines for Trombone
- Robert Miller — Daily Routines for Brass
- Sam Pilafian & Patrick Sheridan — The Brass Gym
- Max Schlossberg — Daily Drills and Technical Studies for Transposing Tenor Trombone
- Branimir Slokar — Warm-up Routine for Trombone / Daily Exercises
- James Stamp — Warm-ups and Studies for Trumpet and Other Brass Instruments
Flexibility and Air Control
Strengthening the embouchure, register shifts and breath management
- Bai Lin — Lip Flexibilities for All Brass Instruments
- Charles Colin — Advanced Lip Flexibilities
- Sam Pilafian & Patrick Sheridan — The Breathing Gym
Cantabile, Lyrical and Bel Canto Studies
Tone quality, operatic phrasing, legato and air-column control
- Marco Bordogni / Joannes Rochut — Melodious Etudes for Trombone
- Steven Mead — Bel Canto series
- Luigi Rossi — Studi Melodici per Trombone a macchina
- Émile Joseph Trognée — 30 Études Mélodiques
- Jean-Baptiste Vannatelbosch — 20 Études Mélodiques et Techniques
Progressive, Technical and Advanced Studies
Developing mechanism, key management, and intermediate/advanced virtuosity
- Gioacchino Bimboni — Studi di perfezionamento per la chiave di basso
- Vladislav Blazhevich — 70 Studies for Tuba / Low Brass
- Sigmund Hering — 40 Progressive Etudes for Trombone
- Georg Kopprasch — 60 Selected Studies for Trombone
- Giuseppe Mariani — Studi di perfezionamento per strumenti d'ottone
- Verne Reynolds — 48 Etudes (for Horn, transposed for Low Brass)
- Francesco Tolentino — Studi per Trombone & Euphonium
Concert Studies and Advanced Performance
Contemporary solo repertoire, preparation for performances and competitions
- Gaston Bodet — 16 Études de Virtuosité
- Théo Charlier — 36 Études Transcendantes
- Steven Mead — New Concert Studies, Performance Studies, Advanced Concert Studies series
- Angelo Biagio Tauro — Capricci Moderni per Euphonium
Treatises on Pedagogy and Fundamental Concepts
Reference, pedagogy and philosophy of brass teaching
- Roger Bobo — Mastering the Tuba
- Arnold Jacobs — Song and Wind; Also Sprach Arnold Jacobs
Part 2
Concertos — Reference Pieces and Repertoire
Solo repertoire organized by level of difficulty, from the early years of the three-year course through to international competition repertoire.
Intermediate — Early Three-Year Course / Foundational
Pieces geared toward developing tone, expressive legato, cantabile playing and initial mechanical agility.
- L. Falcone — Mazurka
- B. Marcello — Sonata in E minor
- M. Ponce — Estrellita
- P. Sparke — Aubade
- P. Sparke — Rhapsody for B flat Baritone
- P. Sparke — Song for Ina
Intermediate-Advanced — Middle Three-Year Course
Works of moderate technical difficulty that nonetheless require good breath control, precise articulation, dynamic range and mastery of concert-style phrasing.
- B. Appermont — The Green Hill
- P.V. de la Nux — Solo de Concours
- R. Dewhurst — Panache
- D. Gillingham — Vintage
- G.H. Kummer — Variations for Ophicleide
- J. Reeman — Sonata per Eufonio
- G. Richards — Pilatus
- P. Sparke — Fantasy
- P. Sparke — Party Piece
- T. Stevens — Variations in Olden Style
Advanced — Final Three-Year Course / Graduation Repertoire
High-profile solo pieces that cover a wide range, fast chromatic passages, large interval leaps and a mature handling of formal structure.
- E. Bozza — Prélude et Allegro
- J. Curnow — Rhapsody for Euphonium
- G. Jacob — Fantasia
- J.N. Hummel — Fantasy
- A. Roper — Sonata for Euphonium
- P. Sparke — Pantomime
- J. Stevens — Soliloquies (unaccompanied solo)
- B.D. Taylor — Flow
- D. Uber — Sonata for Euphonium
- R. Wilhelm — Concertino
Very Advanced — Virtuosic (Two-Year Course / Post-Graduate)
Major works of great concert demand, requiring mastery of double/triple tonguing, physical stamina, rhythmic complexity and virtuosity in the traditional or contemporary style.
- E. Boccalari — Fantasia di Concerto
- V. Cosma — Euphonium Concerto
- T. Doss — Pulse
- D. Gillingham — Euphonium Concerto
- E. Gregson — Euphonium Concerto
- J. Horovitz — Euphonium Concerto
- B. Horne — Stutter Step
- Y. Ito — Fantasy Variations
- R. Jager — Concerto for Euphonium
- A. Ponchielli — Concerto per Flicorno Basso
- P. Sparke — Harlequin
- P. Sparke — Pulcinella
- S. Wesolowski — Euphory Concerto
Excellence / Professional — Extreme Virtuosity and Competitions
The monumental pillars and most demanding works of the entire euphonium repertoire. They require technical and artistic ability at international soloist level, maximum performance speed, and total command of the virtuosic and contemporary language.
- J.B. Arban — 12 Celebrated Fantasies and Airs Variés
- E. Bozza — Allegro et Finale
- J. Curnow — Symphonic Variants
- J. de Meij — UFO Concerto
- M. Ellerby — Euphonium Concerto
- J. Linkola — Euphonium Concerto
- H. Pallhuber — Bliss
- E. Picchi — Fantasia Originale
- P. Sparke — Euphonium Concerto No. 1
- P. Sparke — Euphonium Concerto No. 2
- P. Sparke — Diamond Concerto (Euphonium Concerto No. 3)
- P. Wilby — Concerto for Euphonium