The following is a brief review of trumpet solo literature often performed by junior high through college age students. Each entry attempts to give the student (or teacher) a realistic overview of the music and the difficulties contained therein. Each piece has been rated for its difficulty level based upon the demands made upon the soloist: range, endurance, finger technique, multiple tonguing, etc. Where applicable, comments are included regarding the difficulty of the accompaniment.

Below is the rating system devised to simply indicate the usual ability levels of student musicians based upon the author's teaching and playing experience. When choosing a solo, keep the student's technical capabilities and maturity in mind; do not solely rely on any rating system. If you know of a solo that you would like to see included on this page, please email it to soloreviews@trumpetguild.org

Beginner: 1st and 2nd year students; limited difficulty and range;

Junior High: 2nd and 3rd year students; more complex, but limited range;

High School: 3rd through 6th year students; increased range and technical difficulty;

College: more difficult in several ways than the above level

About the Editor: Tina Erickson is an active trumpet player and teacher in East Tennessee, where she has lived for the past 15 years. A native New Englander, she has lived in many parts of the United States, and holds degrees from the University of New Hampshire and McNeese State University.

Not happy to just play and teach trumpet, she joined the staff of Blackburn Trumpets in 1988 and has been building trumpets with Cliff Blackburn ever since.

She has held faculty positions at The Cadek Conservatory of Music in Chattanooga, TN, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and is on the advisory board of The National Trumpet Competition.

When not making trumpets, or teaching people to play the trumpet, she can often be found on the stage performing with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, or out on the road touring with Mr. Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band, which gives her opportunities to see the country as well as to meet young trumpet payers everywhere.

She lives in Athens, TN with her three dogs, Chloe and Ajax, who hate trumpets, and Mo who loves them. (The harmon mute is his favorite. He thinks it’s hilarious.)