I also like the idea of the bass clef Arbans. That's evil
I also love the Mel Broiles book, it has some absolutely lovely musical etudes in it and some really nice duets. Actually I play often with MM (music matters) out of both the Broiles and Vizutti books. It really focuses your attention on playing in tune and being sympathetic to 'the other' guy.
I can't help but think that there is a whole generation that's going to be incredibly disappointed and not be diverse enough to really enjoy what they ultimately end up with, even if they make the grade. The classics are important and every professional should know the widely played ones but learning a book full of excerpts and the 'right' sound is not going to prepare you if the new season's repetoire includes John Williams or Malcolm Arnold. A great basic grounding and an ability to interperet styles that are not strictly 'classical' will help keep your chair though. I think your comment from Mel Broiles is right on the money.
However, again, I'm just an amateur who deeply loves all styles of music and instruments but I really worry about what we're doing to the future.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Regards,
Trevor