The Study of Saxophone
Year 1
1st Cycle (Preparatory to Year 3). A Nine-Year Course of Study for the Modern Saxophonist-Doubler — Saxophone, Flute & Clarinet.
Thomas Hornig · Henri Selmer Paris Artist · 2026 Edition · The Whole Horn
What Year 1 asks
EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1. Performance of all Major scales in two octaves and arpeggios (tonic triad)
2. Performance of selected piece for Saxophone and Piano
3. Performance of Etudes from selected method: Lacour, Vol. 1
THE YEAR
October to July, in two semesters.
Mid-term exam: early March.
Final exam: early July.
Saxophone students are required to complete the listed methods and satisfactorily present the required scale and arpeggio materials during each school year. Ten compositions will be chosen from each repertoire list and developed to a performance level. Repertoire for the jury examination should be selected in consultation with the student's teacher. Pieces not listed may be studied and performed with the permission of the teacher. Extensive participation in a saxophone quartet and with other instruments in the performance of chamber music and large wind ensemble is requisite for students who have attained an acceptable performance level.
The Study of Saxophone · Desired Competencies
Scales in the app
Exam: Performance of all Major scales in two octaves and arpeggios (tonic triad). Each link opens in The Whole Horn, written for the student's own saxophone.
All Major scales, two octaves, with the tonic triad arpeggio
all 12 keys · two octaves · ♩=60
Methods
The Study of Saxophone · Year 1
Core Methods
Londeix, La Saxophone en Jouant (2ème Cahier)
Lacour, 50 Etudes Faciles, Vol. 1
Lacour, Précis sur les Etude des Gammes
Prati, 7 Etudes Faciles et Progressives
Londeix, La Découverte de la Musique du XVIIe and XVIIIe Siècles
Dupin, La Déchiffrage du Débutant (Sight-reading for Beginners)
Additional Methods
Mule, 24 Etudes Faciles for Saxophone
Meriot, 25 Etudes Faciles for Saxophone, Vol. 1
Lacour, 50 Etudes, Vol. 1
Bay, Basic Rhythmic Concepts for Jazz and Contemporary Phrasing
Auteurs variés, Canons (Simple etudes)
Klosé, Complete Method for Saxophone
Skornicka, Intermediate Method
Niehaus, Jazz Improvisation for Saxophone
Delangle, Méthode de Saxophone, Vol. 2
Mule, Pièces Célèbres for Bb Soprano Saxophone
Rizzo, Reading Jazz
Freeman, Studies and Improvisations for Saxophone
Teal, The Art of Saxophone Playing
Lindeman, The Henry Lindeman Method for Saxophone
de Ville, Universal Method for Saxophone
Methods and Repertoire for the Developing Saxophone Quartet
Repertoire
The Study of Saxophone · Year 1
Core Repertoire
Dubois, La Départ du Roi for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Alessandrini, Valse Lente for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Carles, Panteline for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Succari, Douleurs d'Automne for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Aubine, Petite Rêverie for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Berthelot, La Berçant, l'Ourson for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Additional Repertoire (1 of 2)
Absil, Cinq Pièces Faciles for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ameller, Lirico for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bachelette, Tableaux Aquitains for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Beaucamp, Chant Elégiaque for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bozza, Gavotte des Demoiselles for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bozza, Rêves d'Enfants for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Burgmüller, Sincerity for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Carlin, Hispanie for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Classens, Jerusalem for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Classens, Le Nouveau Saxophone Classique, Vol. B
Clérisse, À l'Ombre du Clocher for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Fauré, Après un Rêve for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ferran, Baghira for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Fiche, Concerti Pour un Astronaute for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Fiche, Mirage IV for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ghidoni, Mélodie en Miniature for Alto or Tenor Saxophone and Piano
Grémont, Larghetto en Ut Majeur for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Repertoire and Ensembles
The Study of Saxophone · Year 1
Additional Repertoire (2 of 2)
Gretchaninoff, Deux miniatures for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Indy, Choral Varié for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Jay, Andante for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bozza, Le Campanile for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Londeix, Tableaux Aquitains for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Martini, Gavotte for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Faillenot, Danse Fantasque for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Mozart, K. 495 — 1st Mvt, for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Mozart, K. 495 — 2nd Mvt, for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Mozart, K. 495 — 3rd Mvt, for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Pachelbel, Canon in D and F for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Purcell, Trumpet Tune for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Rameau, Tambourin for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Saint-Saëns, Danse Macabre for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Smith, Star Spangled Banner for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Wedding Collection for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Duets and Ensembles (1 of 2)
Mozart, Saxophone Duets (Alto and Tenor)
Bartók, Mikrokosmos (Saxophone Duets)
Henderson, Duets for All Instruments
Voxman, Selected Saxophone Duets, Vol. 1
McKeown, Swing-Duet
Great Latin Favourites (Saxophone Duos, Trios)
Raff, Cavatina — Saxophone Quartet
Dervaux, Ciolina — Saxophone Quartet
Da Pacem Domine — Saxophone Quartet (SAATB)
Grieg, arr. Erickson, Folk Songs — Saxophone Quartet
Hey Jude — Saxophone Quartet (SAATB)
Moussorgsky, In the Village — Saxophone Quartet
Bizet, Intermezzo — Saxophone Quartet
Pierné, La Veillée de l'Ange Gardien — Saxophone Quartet
Debussy, Le Petit Nègre — Saxophone Quartet (SATB)
Margot — Saxophone Quartet (SATB)
My Funny Valentine — Saxophone Quartet
Ensembles
The Study of Saxophone · Year 1
Duets and Ensembles (2 of 2)
Erickson, Nocturne — Saxophone Quartet
Voxman, Repertoire for Saxophone Quartet
Handel, Sarabande et Menuet — Saxophone Quartet
Erickson, Scherzo — Saxophone Quartet
Erickson, Serenade — Saxophone Quartet
Veit, Stille Weis — Saxophone Quartet
Gershwin, Summertime — Saxophone Quartet (SATB)
Suo Gan — Saxophone Quartet
Grieg, The Last Spring — Saxophone Quartet
Gershwin, Un Américain à Paris — Saxophone Quartet
Brahms, Valse — Saxophone Quartet
An Intrada for Jazz Trio — Saxophone Quintet (SAATB)
The Bare Necessities — Saxophone Quintet (SAATB)
The Lincolnshire Poacher — Saxophone Sextet (SAATTB)
Le Donjon Dans La Brume — Saxophone Trio (AAA)
Harvey, Saxophone Quartets, Vol. 1 (SATB)
Desired Competency
1st Cycle (Preparatory to Year 3)
Acquisition of basic skills
air column / breathing
concept for sound / timbre
articulation
rhythmic, digital and timbral homogeneity
accuracy
flexibility
nuance
intonation
vibrato
And
Development of basic technique and knowledge of all Major and Minor scales.
Ability to hear and play dynamics, develop a sense of musical phrasing and a basic understanding of blend and balance.
Cultivation of the ability to memorize simple musical passages.
Development of basic sight-reading skills.
Ability to notate simple musical passages.
Understanding of chord-scale relationships; Jazz improvisation using basic facility.
Basic knowledge of the history of the saxophone and the Giants of Saxophone.
Experience in ensemble performance — piano accompaniment — ensemble of saxophones.
Public performance.
Make it yours
Every link here is a starting point. To change one, open For Teachers in The Whole Horn, set the key, tempo or hours, add your own sentence, make the link, and paste it over ours. This is one year of The Study of Saxophone. The whole course, from the Preparatory Year to Year 9, is on thewholehorn.com.
This is a living framework. Use it as a foundation, adapt it to your context, and revise it as new resources emerge.
— Thomas Hornig