Pain in the Brass

Yep. I went there with the title and I'm going to roll with it.

I have a brass problem and I need help. I knew it wasn't great, but until one of my field placement students from the local university asked about the ratio of woodwinds to brass recently, I started admitting it. Our overall numbers are good, but woodwinds vastly outnumber our brass.

We had well over 30 trumpet players in 6th Grade Band last year. 7th Grade now has nine. There were six solid trombones in the 7th Grade Band last year. There is one now, and he moved into the district over the summer. And of our five baritone/euphonium players in 7th grade, exactly 0 remained for 8th Grade Band this year.

I use a baritone and trombone as my demo instruments fairly regularly. Last year we played things like Brass in the Basement and In the Valley of the Ancients so that the low brass and winds weren't stuck with typical lines. With my sister being a tuba play throughout much of high school and part of college, I really do try and pay regular attention to them.

Help.

To aid our solo trombone, the trumpets in 8th grade band will be rotating in on baritone throughout the year. (THANK YOU to my awesome colleagues for the idea!) I'd like to not need that band-aid (hahaha...band aid...music puns are the best) though in the long run so I need to do better.

What are some ways you engage your brass? What tricks do you use for low brass retention? Middle school repertoire suggestions? Please throw this flute player a bone!