I love that this book is hard to classify. Are they classical orchestral-style etudes? Yes. Are they pop orchestra studies? Yes. Does it include jazz, marches, broadway, and every other genre of music under the sun? Yes. So what exactly is it? It is a collection of everything you need to be able to play if you want to perform in a professional orchestra in the 21st century. Phil Collins knows this from first-hand experience as principal trumpet in the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra for over 30 years. He also saw a huge gap in our method and study book repertoire and knew if a book like this had to exist, he would be the one to write it.

I put tons of samples for free if you click the cover, so please give them a try to see how special this book is. Below I will attach Phil’s foreword and a recommendation from Chase Sanborn. You are going to love this book, so click above to grab an immediate digital download.

Phil Collins writes: “Do you remember the first time you heard a particular piece of music that captivated you? Something definitely caught your attention, either the melody, the words, the arrangement, the performer, the surroundings, or all of the above. The music was contagious.

The purpose of this book is to spark the interest of both the performer and listener. These 138 short pieces offer a sampling of the different moods and styles required in the pops repertoire. They were inspired by movie soundtracks, musicals, symphonies, operas, operettas, ballets, chamber music, and cartoons, each with opportunities to shine in the spotlight.

As you prepare to perform, imagine you have just taken your seat in the Trumpet 1 chair on the concert stage. The audience is hushed, the orchestra has tuned, and the conductor is approaching the podium. Remember that your listeners want to hear more than just well-played notes. They want to hear what you heard the very first time you were captivated by music.”

Chase Sanborn says: “This new book from trumpeter Phil Collins is a gem! After 30 years as principal trumpet with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, Phil has written 138 studies addressing many of the musical situations faced by the 1st trumpet player playing pops or commercial repertoire. This collection is not just for the orchestral player but for anyone interested in developing sound, style, and expression. For example: imagine playing a sweeping trumpet solo over a Hollywood film score. These etudes prepare you for that style of playing.

Fun to play, musically satisfying, and stylistically diverse, these etudes are not terribly difficult, but there are many twists and turns that challenge your reading, endurance, dynamics, articulation, key fluency and overall musicality. The range generally doesn’t go past a high C, but that note can seem plenty high at the end of a long, lyrical solo! Phil has hit the nail on the head in providing trumpet players with practice material that closely emulates the requirements of the real world.

Contained on many of the pages are suggestions, anecdotes, and bits of advice, which really hit home. Often, with just a few words, Phil can change the way you approach an etude. He encourages you to strive for more than the notes. He has a sense of humor, too. You can tell that he is a seasoned professional who has seen it all. The reader benefits from his accumulated wisdom and often cracks a smile.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. These etudes have become my favorite part of the practice routine.”