The Study of Saxophone
Year 8
Jazz Studies & Ensemble Leadership · 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 8 asks
EXAM REQUIREMENTS
1. Sight-Reading exam
2. Performance of a Chamber Music composition directed by the saxophonist
3. Performance of selected piece for Saxophone and Piano
4. Performance of Etudes from selected method: Boehm
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
Methods
The Study of Saxophone · Year 8
Core Methods
Fürstenau/Mule, 53 Etudes d'Après Boehm (en 3 Cahiers)
Lacour, 28 Etudes sur les Modes à Transposition
Françoise, 22 Déchiffrages
Additional Methods
Bozza, 12 Etudes Caprices for Saxophone
Caravan, Preliminary Exercises and Etudes in Contemporary Techniques for Saxophone
Repertoire
The Study of Saxophone · Year 8
Core Repertoire
Maurice, Tableaux de Provence for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Sancan, Lamento et Rondo for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Tomasi, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Dubois, Divertissement for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Desenclos, Prélude, Cadence et Final for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ibert, Prélude for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Additional Repertoire (1 of 2)
Ackermans, Petite Fantaisie Italienne for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Albright, Sonata for Saxophone and Piano
Berio, Sequenza IXb for SOLO Alto Saxophone
Bolcom, Lilith for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bonneau, Suite for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Bozza, Aria for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Charpentier, Gavambodi 2 for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Decruck, Sonata Ut for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Demersseman, Carnaval de Venise for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Denisov, Concerto Piccolo for 4 Saxophones Successive and Percussion
Denisov, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Desenclos, Prélude, Cadence et Finale for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Dubois, Saxophone Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Feld, Elégie for Soprano Saxophone and Piano
Repertoire
The Study of Saxophone · Year 8
Additional Repertoire (2 of 2)
Grovlez, Sarabande et Allegro for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Hindemith, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Ibert, Concertino da Camera for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Koch, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Larsson, Konsert for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra
Laube, Steady Study on the Boogie for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Mackey, Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Orchestra
Martin, Ballade for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Maslanka, Concerto for Saxophone Quartet — Saxophone Quartet
Stockhausen, In Freundschaft for SOLO Saxophone
Tomasi, Evocations for SOLO Alto Saxophone
Woods, Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Yoshimatsu, Fuzzy Bird Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
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.
The whole course
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