String Educators:
As a former string orchestra teacher myself, I know that budgets are very limited and, too often, shrinking. By self publishing my compositions for young orchestras, as PDF downloads, I am hoping to provide a more affordable way for you to obtain very well crafted compositions and arrangements each of which is designed to help with specific technical and expressive teaching goals.
In addition to the music I offer through PSMP, here are several examples of my music for young orchestras available from other publishers.
As a former string orchestra teacher myself, I know that budgets are very limited and, too often, shrinking. By self publishing my compositions for young orchestras, as PDF downloads, I am hoping to provide a more affordable way for you to obtain very well crafted compositions and arrangements each of which is designed to help with specific technical and expressive teaching goals.
In addition to the music I offer through PSMP, here are several examples of my music for young orchestras available from other publishers.
Iowa Spring (Latham)
Level 2-3 String Orchestra (Use this link to order Iowa Spring from Latham Music).
Performed at Midwest Clinic (see beautiful performance video below) and chosen for many Middle School All State Music Orchestras, this piece is currently on MANY state ensemble contest lists. When highlighted as a J. W. Pepper Editor's Choice, they wrote:
"If Copland had written for easy level strings, it would have been something like this. There's a wide open sound here, thanks to the rich writing that includes open strings, open fifths, simple harmonics and just the right amount of silence. Very nicely done!"
Level 2-3 String Orchestra (Use this link to order Iowa Spring from Latham Music).
Performed at Midwest Clinic (see beautiful performance video below) and chosen for many Middle School All State Music Orchestras, this piece is currently on MANY state ensemble contest lists. When highlighted as a J. W. Pepper Editor's Choice, they wrote:
"If Copland had written for easy level strings, it would have been something like this. There's a wide open sound here, thanks to the rich writing that includes open strings, open fifths, simple harmonics and just the right amount of silence. Very nicely done!"
Sailing to America (Latham)
Level 2.5 String Orchestra (Use this link to order Sailing to America from: Latham Music.)
A lyrical piece, built from a pentatonic scale common to cultures around the globe, that introduces 3rd position for first violins via open string shift. Written for my own students in Oregon, Wisconsin, this piece was performed at the 2003 Midwest Clinic by the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra and continues to appear on many state contest lists. Below is a recent concert video posted on Youtube.
Level 2.5 String Orchestra (Use this link to order Sailing to America from: Latham Music.)
A lyrical piece, built from a pentatonic scale common to cultures around the globe, that introduces 3rd position for first violins via open string shift. Written for my own students in Oregon, Wisconsin, this piece was performed at the 2003 Midwest Clinic by the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts Chamber Orchestra and continues to appear on many state contest lists. Below is a recent concert video posted on Youtube.
A Winter Wind (Latham)
Level 3-4 String Orchestra (Use this link to order A Winter Wind from: Latham Music.)
This piece builds musical and rhythmic independence through divisi parts and driving melodies that pass from one instrument to another. Every section is featured more than once and 2nd position is introduced for violists in several brief passages. Like many pieces by Vivaldi, the technical demands of this piece are more modest than they seem, resulting in an impressive concert piece for a select middle school ensemble (especially if you have basses looking for something more challenging), or a high school orchestra developing musical independence through contrapuntal music. Please enjoy the YouTube video of a performance of this piece by a wonderful young orchestra from Arcadia, California, below.
Level 3-4 String Orchestra (Use this link to order A Winter Wind from: Latham Music.)
This piece builds musical and rhythmic independence through divisi parts and driving melodies that pass from one instrument to another. Every section is featured more than once and 2nd position is introduced for violists in several brief passages. Like many pieces by Vivaldi, the technical demands of this piece are more modest than they seem, resulting in an impressive concert piece for a select middle school ensemble (especially if you have basses looking for something more challenging), or a high school orchestra developing musical independence through contrapuntal music. Please enjoy the YouTube video of a performance of this piece by a wonderful young orchestra from Arcadia, California, below.
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Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Alliance) (arr. by Paul Seitz) for tenor soloist (or cello) and string orchestra Level 3 An excerpt of this arrangement, performed by the Greenspun Middle School string orchestra with soloist (UNLV voice faculty) Alphonse Anderson, is provided below. To view pages 1-3 of the score and/or to purchase (printed materials only) use this link: Alliance/Fred Bock Music Or use this link to purchase materials from the Hal Leonard Catalog |
More pieces will be added soon. Please check back!
