The Study of Saxophone
Year 4
2nd Cycle (Years 4 to 8). 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 4 asks
EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1. Performance of all Major and Harmonic minor scales to include diatonic 4ths, 5ths, arpeggiated Tonic and Dominant 7th chords
2. Performance of selected piece for Saxophone and Piano
3. Performance of Etudes from selected method book(s)
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 and Harmonic minor scales to include diatonic 4ths, 5ths, arpeggiated Tonic and Dominant 7th chords. Each link opens in The Whole Horn, written for the student's own saxophone.
All Major and Harmonic minor scales, with Tonic and Dominant 7th arpeggios
all 12 keys · two octaves · ♩=60 · arpeggios in the app: major keys (tonic and V7)
Methods
The Study of Saxophone · Year 4
Core Methods
Meriot, 12 Etudes Atonales
Berbiguier, 18 Etudes Mélodiques
Busser, 12 Etudes Mélodiques
Decouais, 35 Etudes Techniques
Salviani-Iasilli, Exercises in All Practical Keys
Charlie Parker Omnibook
Additional Methods
Mintzer, 15 Easy Jazz Blues and Funk Etudes (Bb)
Rossari, 53 Melodious Etudes for Saxophone or Oboe
Niehaus, Developing Jazz Concepts
Ferling, 48 Etudes
Niehaus, Intermediate Jazz Conception for Saxophone
Niehaus, Jazz Conception for Saxophone Duets
Hite, Melodious Progressive Studies for Saxophone
Niehaus, Basic Jazz Conception, Vol. 2
Voxman, Selected Advanced Studies for Saxophone
Voxman, Selected Studies for Saxophone
Teal, Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player
Haerle, The Jazz Language Method
Repertoire
The Study of Saxophone · Year 4
Core Repertoire
Koechlin, 15 Etudes for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bach, Suite d'Orchestre en Ut for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ibert, Histoires for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Jolivet, Fantasie Impromptu for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Lacour, Noctiliene for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Alessandrini, Piazzolino for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Additional Repertoire
Bitsch, Villageoise for SOLO Alto Saxophone
Bozza, Aria for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Debussy, Saxophone Album for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Debussy, Syrinx for SOLO Saxophone
Eccles, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Françaix, Cinq Danses Exotiques — Baião for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ibert, Aria for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ibert, Histoires for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ravel, Pièce en forme de Habanera for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Tomasi, Introduction et Danse for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Whitney, Rumba for Alto Saxophone and Piano
The Doubler's Path
Start flute in Years 3–4. Start clarinet in Years 4–5. Both instruments are lifelong companions, not temporary hurdles.
Flute — Introduced Years 3–4
Method books:
Trevor Wye, Practice Books for the Flute, Vols. 1–5
Marcel Moyse, De la Sonorité
Taffanel & Gaubert, 17 Daily Exercises
Repertoire entry points:
Bach, Flute Sonatas BWV 1030–1035
Telemann, Fantasias for Solo Flute
Hindemith, Sonata for Flute and Piano
Fauré, Fantasie for Flute and Piano
The flute is where classical technique is refined and a second embouchure vocabulary is built. The crossover with saxophone breathing and support is significant. Do not treat flute as a shortcut — it is a separate discipline that demands separate daily practice.
Clarinet — Introduced Years 4–5
Method books:
Klosé, Celebrated Method for Clarinet
Baermann, Complete Method, Vol. 3
Rose, 32 Etudes and 40 Studies
Cavallini, Caprices
Repertoire entry points:
Weber, Concerto No. 1 and Concerto No. 2
Mozart, Clarinet Concerto K. 622
Brahms, Sonatas Op. 120
Stravinsky, Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo
Clarinet demands a fundamentally different embouchure, a single-reed response that is more exposed than saxophone, and a tone production philosophy that is its own. The saxophonist who plays clarinet with saxophone habits sounds like a saxophonist pretending. Study it right: from the ground up, with a clarinet teacher if possible, at least in the early stages.
Desired Competency
2nd Cycle (Years 4 to 8)
Deepening skills acquired in the 1st cycle
air column / breathing
development of a personal, mature sound
articulation
rhythmic, digital and timbral homogeneity
accuracy
flexibility
nuance
intonation
vibrato
And
Fluidity of technique as well as knowledge of alternative fingerings.
Ability to play "extreme" nuance, to tune alone, to control and correct intonation.
Ability to memorize music.
Sight-reading at the level of "working musicians."
Knowledge, technical facility, and musical maturity in contemporary music.
Understanding and application of the wide variety of music notation in contemporary music.
Knowledge and practice of chord-scale relationships; Jazz improvisation.
Listening skills, Jazz phrasing, memorization of easy jazz standards, and the ability to transcribe solos.
The history of the saxophone, the different epochs and styles, and important figures.
Understanding and application of descriptive and analytical vocabulary.
Ensemble performance — piano accompaniment — chamber music — ensemble of saxophones — orchestra, Jazz combos and Jazz ensembles — knowing how to conduct a set and a rehearsal.
Perform in public as a soloist.
Participate on a stage.
Promote general musical culture by listening to and performing music of all kinds.
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