At level four, opportunities for many exciting activities begin to emerge: auditions for solo chair positions at school, solo and ensemble contests, scholarship auditions. Summer enrichment programs, music festivals and regional band-orchestra chairs should be pursued.

Continuation of private study is important to effectively focus on detailed preparations for solo appearances, contests and auditions. If possible, a professional level instrument should be obtained to attain the best in sound, intonation and technique. An interest in mouthpieces, better reeds and the skill of adjusting reeds should continue to evolve.

More extensive listening habits should be developed. Following good music radio stations, learning the classical orchestral repertoire, learning about great composers, and identifying music periods and jazz styles will cultivate high performance standards and ambitions.

Technical and performance goals:

1. Develop more sophisticated tonal concepts and control: tonal beauty, natural use of dynamic flexibility, and awareness of perfect intonation. Observe the effects of mouthpieces, instruments, reeds, rooms, halls, recording techniques and geographic location on tonal voicing.
2. Experiment with various acquired techniques to create a mood experience for the listener. Avoid lackluster mechanical playing.
3. Improve proficiency and fluency in sight-reading.
4. Prepare and maintain good reeds.
5. Perform major solo works by memory.
6. Begin study of extended pitch range to high Ab, A and Bb.

Theory study goals:

1. Understand the cycle of major and minor scales.
2. Know and perform the chromatic, diminished and whole-tone scales. Begin work on performing scales in intervals.
3. Aurally and visually identify all intervals within the octave, and learn to sing these intervals from a given pitch.
4. Sight sing unfamiliar melodies.
5. Routinely study assignments without the instrument before practice, analyzing each etude as to key, scale and chord patterns, phrases, tempos, rhythms, alternate fingerings, etc.
   
   

LEVEL 4 STUDY MATERIAL

Hite, David: Foundation Studies
Contents: Baermann Method, Part III
Practice should extend into the intervals of thirds, fourths and fifths. Work on the scales, chords, interrupted scales and returning scales in five and six sharps and flats, as well as chromatic scales and diminished chords should be in progress.

Hite, David: Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book 2
Continuing study should encompass all the Gambaro and the Dont etudes. Both are excellent preparation for the Rose studies. The Dont etudes develop dexterity in larger intervals requiring not only finger coordination, but also eye and ear coordination for tonal consistency. The additional etudes can be used for special problems: staccato, left hand finger coordination and register change. Six Lazarus etudes provide
challenges in chromatics, advance legato, the cadenza and pushing rapid finger speeds.

Hite, David: Artistic Studies, Book 1 from the French School
Contents:
C. Rose: 40 Etudes
C. Rose: 32 Etudes
C. Rose: 9 Caprices
Depending on the student's capabilities, study of these etudes can begin on this level. The etudes should be learned thoroughly so that they can be performed to perfection.

Hite, David: Four Sonatas by A.M.R. Barret and Five Melodious Studies by D. Alard
Study of these three movement Barret Sonatas focuses on refinement of musicianship, accuracy of reading and stability of performance. Intermediate in difficulty, they can supplement the Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book 2, and are also appropriate for concert performance. The Alard studies provide a solid review of technique and articulation.

LEVEL 4 REPERTOIRE

FOR Bb CLARINET WITH PIANO

Barnes, James: Autumn Soliloquy (band accompaniment available)
Baermann-Forrest: Divertimento
Bozza-Ephross: Ballade
Chopin-Forrest: Nocturne
Cossaboom, S.: Fragments
Dere-Hite: Andante and Scherzo
Halvorsen-Forrest: Entrance of the Boyars
Handel-Andraud: Concerto in G Minor
Henn, Randahl: Duo Sonata (1978)
Koch, Frederick: Incessant Motion
Lehman, Ralph: Suoronos
Paladilhe-Voxman-Block: Concert Solo
Pierne, Gabriel: Canzonetta
Quet, L.: Petite Piece
Reed, Alfred: Serenade (band accompaniment available)
Rose-Bolls: Elegy
Schubert-Hite: Sonatina
Sclater, James: Rumanian Whirling Dance
Stack, Leonard: Sonata (1979)
Tartini-Forrest: Variations on a Theme by Corelli
Tartini-Hite: Sonata in G Minor
Tschaikovsky-Heim: Suite, Album for the Young
Ulman, Barry: Elegy
Verhey-Voxman: Allegro (from Concerto)
Weiner, Lawrence: Fantasy (1987)

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