AUSTA Reading Folders
Since early 2008, AUSTA Q has compiled some national reading folders for use across the country. These folders contain a collection of music for primary and secondary orchestras and aim to provide ensemble directors an opportunity to hear and play new repertoire. For more information regarding the AUSTA reading folders please contact the AUSTA Q state president click here
Reading Folders 2010
New music to be included in the 2010 folders must be submitted to Timo Jarvela by January 16th. For more details please email Timo Jarvela. email click here
NEW MUSIC READING DAY 2009. Review by Daniel Holloway
Once again this year we are indebted to AUSTA Q Committee Member, Daniel Holloway for his concise but comprehensive review of the pieces that were presented at the annual AUSTA Q Reading Day held on 8th February at Somerville House in Brisbane. For members who were unable to attend the Reading Day and for those that may have become a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of works read on the day, Daniel’s comments will provide some clarity.
Each year AUSTA’s reading day becomes bigger or better in some little way. For this year’s event, the committee read through many of the overseas publications at the end of last year in a ‘preliminary reading day’ and put the short listed pieces into folders. I am sure I speak for others as well, when I say that my brain was a little less overwhelmed than in previous years, having sacrificed some of the quantity of music for, hopefully, a higher quality. It also meant that the reading of the pieces, especially as the afternoon wore on, was a little less rushed and perhaps we were able to do them a little more justice.
The nearly 60 string teachers who turned up on the day still managed, however, to read through an impressive 48 pieces, of which 27 were by local composers. We welcomed the new talents of John Rotar from Bundaberg and Antoni Bonetti. We also welcomed back Wendy Ireland and Michael Stocks, both of whom made the trip especially from Sydney, in addition to locals Loreta Fin, Keith Sharp, Anne Svendsen, Michael Patterson and Stephen Chin.
After the playing was completed, and as members of the committee discussed repertoire for Music Fest, other committee members and volunteers helped pack remaining music into folders ready to be sent to other AUSTA branches around Australia for similar reading days.
Once again, a big thankyou must go to Loreta Fin and Somerville House for providing the venue. Many thanks also to composers and publishers for supplying music, the AUSTA committee for providing the morning tea, and for the preparation leading up to the event, and finally to Kaye Scott of Prestige Music for providing the lunch.
The set works chosen for this year’s Music Fest are:
High School A Grade
Stephen Chin Jigs in the Mist
Richard Meyer Momentum
Michael Patterson Grand Royale
Keith Sharp La Llorona
High School B Grade
Stephen Chin (arr.) Concerto in G
Keith Sharp Caulderon
Soon Hee Newbold North Star to Freedom
Michael Patterson The Mystic
High School C Grade
Loreta Fin Sailing Into Moreton Bay
Michael Stocks Furioso
Soon Hee Newbold Riders in the Night (Life of a Cowboy)
Keith Sharp Two Courtly Dances
Primary School A Grade
Keith Sharp Haydn's Lost Chorale
Loreta Fin Spine Chiller
Carl Johnson Critter Crawl
Primary School B Grade
Stephen Chin (arr.) Two Dances from the German Baroque: Sarabande and Rigaudon (either one)
Keith Sharp Arabesque
Loreta Fin Fruit Salad or Chilli Salsa
Robert Frost Cable Car Crossing
Primary School C Grade
Anne Svendsen First Finger Pachelbel
Stephen Chin Sunrise at Kakadu or Twilight Trek
Elliot del Borgo Marche Oriental
Bel Belwin Mills (Alfred)
DP Dynamic Publications
ES Everything String
FJH FJH Publishing
H/E Highland/Etling (Alfred)
HL Hal Leonard
Kjos Kjos
LML Latham Music Ltd.
MHSP Music House String Publications
Moon Moonmusic (Michael Patterson: mikeymoon1@gmail.com)
WF Wilfin
WI W. Ireland Music Publications Australia
U/P Unpublished or publisher to be confirmed
C GRADE PRIMARY
First Finger Pachelbel – Anne Svendsen (LML)
D, 4/4. As the title suggests, based on Pachelbel's Canon and uses only first finger and open strings. Bass solo at beginning. Has low 1st fingers on C string in viola part. Suggest changing these to A on the G string for less advanced players. Quite effective. Good for developing some bowing and rhythm skills. No violin 3 or piano parts.
Sunrise At Kakadu – Stephen Chin (ES)
G, 4/4. An evocative opening – good for working on tone and legato bowing. Has an improvisatory section where players can make up bird calls. Paired with Twilight Trek.
Twilight Trek – Stephen Chin (ES)
G, 4/4. A sprightly, playful character. Lots of subito dynamic changes and scope for working on contrasting bowings (staccato, tenuto, accents). Paired with Sunrise at Kakadu.
Marche Oriental – Elliot del Borgo (Ken)
This piece was not read on our reading day, but has been added to the Music Fest list.
B GRADE PRIMARY/C GRADE HIGH
Furioso – Michael Stocks (DP)
a, 4/4. A rhythmic opening to this piece, making use of sequences. A more legato middle section follows, with some position work in violin 1, although it is divisi in octaves, so players can stay in 1st position if not confident in the higher positions. A more challenging high school C grade piece, but a comparatively easy cello part.
Two Dances from the German Baroque: Sarabande and Rigaudon – Stephen Chin arr (ES)
G, 3/4; G, 4/4. An arrangement of a lesser known Pachelbel Sarabande, coupled with an arrangement of a Rigaudon by Georg Bohm.
Two Courtly Dances – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 2/4. A constant quaver rhythm, which can be played off the string or on for younger players, gives this piece a lively character. A short bridge passage, scored for piano solo but cued in string parts in case there is no piano, leads to a contrasting second dance, followed by a return to the first dance. Viola part alternately doubles the violin 1 and 2 parts. An easier piece for this level.
Arabesque – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
D, 4/4. A smooth, gently flowing piece, essentially a conversation between upper and middle/lower strings. Mostly crotchets and quavers, but effective. Has a brief, easy fourth position section for cellos. Cute ending. An easier piece for this level.
Fruit Salad – Loreta Fin (WF)
D, 4/4. A celebration of different rhythms, namely: ‘watermelon’, ‘strawberry’, ‘mango’ and ‘passionfruit’. Rhythmically in two sections - upper and lower strings. There is a contrasting legato B minor middle section. Paired with Chilli Salsa.
Chilli Salsa – Loreta Fin (WF)
G, 4/4. In a calypso style, with many syncopated rhythms and accents, but rhythms are repetitive and easy to learn. Rhythmically in one or two parts. Paired with Fruit Salad.
Sailing Into Moreton Bay – Loreta Fin (WF)
d, 3/4. A flowing, sonorous piece. Good piece for developing tone and orchestral sound. Paired with Spine Chiller.
Bless The Lord (Psalm 134) Tallis Canon – Thomas Tallis/arr Antoni Bonetti (U/P)
G, 4/4. An arrangement of the well known Tallis Canon. Some tasteful dynamics give this version a very musical quality. Violin 1 contains position work. Other parts are quite easy, and some effective harmonies have been added. Violin 3 doubles viola. No piano part.
Lullaby For Nicholas – Bob Cerulli (Bel)
D, 3/4. A gentle, soothing piece with scope for working on phrasing and rubati. No violin 3 part. Optional piano part.
Dominique's Dance (A Mariachi Waltz) – John Nieto (Bel)
G, 3/4. A Mariachi waltz. Melody features in all sections except bass. Bass part is necessary, however, or it can be covered using piano. No violin 3 part included. Nice but not highly interesting to play.
Cable Car Crossing – Robert Frost (Kjos)
G, 4/4. A charming, very likeable little piece with some interesting harmonies. Overall quite catchy and appealing. Some scope for working on bow speeds and articulations.
Crosscurrent – Robert Longfield (HL)
e, 4/4. A fast, rhythmic piece with nice interplay between the parts. Repeated quavers need to be off the string. Has an optional percussion part.
Eagles Pride – Susan Day (H/E)
a, 4/4. A sombre, stately piece with some nice textures. There is interest in all parts but the bass part is very easy.
Mystical Quest – Jeremy Woolstenhulme (Kjos)
e, 4/4. This piece has interest in all parts but there is a similarity in texture all the way through (despite the middle section being slower and more gentle) which makes the piece seem quite long. The parts are all quite independent.
Riders In The Night (Life Of A Cowboy) – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 4/4. This piece has a march/journey-like quality with interest in all parts and a nice feel to the music. There are F naturals in the violin 1 part.
Back And Forth – Dean Sorenson (Kjos)
G, 4/4. An up beat piece in a ‘Latin style’, relatively simple but with lively rhythms. Piano part is essential to give the feel. Drum set and percussion parts are included. There is no violin 3 part. More suitable for high school.
Neil Gow's Lament – Neil Gow arr Deborah Baker Monday (H/E)
d, 3/4. A Scottish melody. Begins with a long Violin 1 section solo, then the melody is eventually given to all sections including bass (doubling cellos). An appealing melody with a nice texture. Nearly 5 minutes long, but one could easily make cuts as required. More suited to high school.
A GRADE PRIMARY/B GRADE HIGH
Radetsky March – Wendy Ireland (WI)
D, 2/2. A festival arrangement for three orchestras (high school B, high school C/primary B and primary D). Some tricky string crossings in the first violin part. Junior part is mostly unison and open strings with some easy fingered notes.
Star Wars – Wendy Ireland (WI)
G, 4/4. A festival arrangement for three orchestras (high school B, high school C/primary B and primary D), sure to appeal to students. Demi-semiquaver upbeats require some precision.
Irish Fancy – Wendy Ireland (WI)
d/D, 4/4 and 6/8. Another festival piece, this time for string orchestra, solo viola and harp with optional beginner parts. A rhapsodic opening with sonorous harmonies shows off the viola. A cheerful, energetic middle section in 6/8 with claps, stamps and shouts ensues. Ends with a brief return to the opening character.
Caulderon – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 4/4. Begins in a majestic, flowing style with sonorous melodies in the middle parts and more of a 2/2 feel rather than 4/4. A contrasting, playful middle section with a celtic feel follows. There is some position work in the violin 1 and cello parts. The piece returns to the flowing opening section, with interpolations added in the first violin part. A solid high school B grade piece.
The Mystic – Michael Patterson (Moon)
b, 6/8 and 4/4. Begins with a driving rhythmic accompaniment with a cantabile melody in the inner parts. Some 3 against 2 rhythms. Contrasting middle section - more of a rock flavour with syncopated accents. Some sul ponticello and slap pizzicato effects. Some 3rd position in violin 1. A full sounding, enjoyable piece with great contrasts. No piano part. (Suggest tempo is dotted crotchet = 76)
Concerto In G – Stephen Chin arr (ES)
G, 4/4. From Vivaldi’s Concerto for Mandolin RV 425. Typically Vivaldi with lots of repeated semiquavers in the violin parts. Middle and lower parts have some melodic interest.
Haydn's Lost Chorale – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 2/2. A revised version of 'The Abbey'. Inspired by Haydn's St Anthony Chorale, the rhythm and texture are reminiscent of Haydn’s chorale.
Spine Chiller – Loreta Fin (WF)
d, 4/4. A spooky piece utilising many different string playing techniques: sul ponticello, Bartok pizzicato, tremolo and glissando. Some effective use of dissonances in a tonal context gives this piece a contemporary character while still remaining very approachable for young students. Paired with Sailing into Moreton Bay.
Hava Nagila – Michael Stocks arr. (DP)
b, 4/4. An effective arrangement of this traditional Jewish melody. Features a number of accelerandi and other tempo changes, in keeping with the Jewish character. Has a violin solo. Rich harmonies. There is a good amount of interest in the viola/violin 3 part but less so in the cello part. No piano part.
Theme From James Bond – Monty Norman/Wendy Ireland (WI)
e, 4/4. This piece is in 6 parts with separate violin 3 and viola parts. (There is also a 6 cello version available!) Thers is interest in most parts but the bass part is quite repetitive. Needs an orchestra with a secure sense of rhythm. The original character of this piece is well maintained. No piano part is currently available but one could be provided on request. A relatively difficult high school B grade piece.
Hush Lil Baby – Lloyd Conley arr (HL)
G/C, 4/4. A Carolina folk lullaby. Slow, mostly crotchets and minims. No piano part included. Bass part is necessary. Contains some F naturals on D and E strings and some easy chromaticisms. An easy primary school A grade piece, but would need players more advanced than B grade to sound effective. Not a particularly exciting piece.
I Will Follow Him – Larry Moore arr/ J W Stole And Del Roma (HL)
G, 4/4. Made famous by the film Sister Act this piece is in a ‘relaxed 50s rock style’, albeit quite up-beat. Inner parts hold the melody much of the time against a rhythmic accompaniment. Features 'falloffs' (falling glissandi) in the upper parts. Percussion parts are included, and an optional violin 3 version of the viola part is not included, but this is not ideal for the viola section solos, although they are doubled in the cello part.
Apache – Jerry Lordan/ arr Larry Moore (HL)
a, 4/4. A relaxed, sauntering piece with the melody often in the lower strings against a rhythmic accompaniment. The optional violin 3 part is not suitable for the viola section solos, but these are doubled in the cello part. Bass part is sempre pizzicato. A drum set part is included.
Giant Slimy Squid – Thom Sharp (LML)
g, 4/4. Marked moderato calamario, this is a more contemporary sounding work harmonically, with chromatic movement in many parts. It features tremolos and glissandi. Texture is thick and often in the lower registers, providing little humour beyond the tempo marking. Not to everyone’s taste, and not suitable for primary school. Bass part is awkward. One has to wonder if the end result is worth the work needed to learn it.
The Three Groovy Grizzlies – Carrie Lane Gruselle (FJH)
G, 4/4. A relaxed swing feel. There is interest in all sections and solos in all sections (except bass). Frequent rapid changes from pizzicato to arco in the bass part. An easy high school B grade piece. More suited to high school.
Critter Crawl – Carl Johnson (Bel)
g, 4/4. A rhythmic, misterioso character. Lots of dotted rhythms, and entries after quaver rests. Articulations, crescendi and diminuendi help to make this piece effective. No piano part included.
Sinfonia In G – Carl Stamitz/ arr Bob Phillips (H/E)
G, 3/4. A lively piece in typical Classical style. Needs off-the-string quavers in accompanying parts. Some third position work in the violin 1 part. A relatively easy bass part. No violin 3 or piano parts included.
North Star To Freedom – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 3/4 2/4 4/4. A sarabande-like opening leads to a slow march. A rhythmically more lively but still sombre middle section becomes brighter for a while, then leads to an ending in B minor. This piece features sustained melodies coupled with rhythmic counter melodies. An easy high school A grade or difficult B grade piece. It is a long piece which requires sustained energy to perform. More suited to high school.
Desert Sands – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 4/4. This piece has an Arabian feel. Long notes alternate with moving figures in the melody, and good sustaining is needed on the long notes. There is a violin 3 version of the viola part, but the viola is often on the C string and the violin would lose some of this character. We felt this piece may be a little uninteresting for a high school B grade orchestra – more suited to a good C grade orchestra in the high school situation.
A GRADE HIGH
The Armed Man Sees The Light – Stephen Chin (ES)
g/D/G, various time signatures. Festival piece for massed orchestra of four different levels. Orchestras C (primary school B level) and D (primary school C level) are optional. Orchestra D is essentially in two parts – upper and lower strings. Also has parts for untuned percussion. No piano part. All parts are quite manageable for their level and should be relatively easy to learn within a limited time. Final sections have an African flavour. A lengthy piece at just over 10 minutes.
Grand Royale – Michael Patterson (Moon)
G, 4/4. Maestoso beginning leads to a festive, playful second section with ricochet bowing, harmonics and left hand pizzicato. Has separate violin 3 and viola parts. Plenty of opportunities for lower strings (including viola) to play melodies. Occasional time signature changes. Reflective, slightly melancholy 3rd section, ending in cello cadenza (with alternative for violin). An uplifting tutti allegro ending. Very expressive piece.
Jigs In The Mist – Stephen Chin (ES)
D 3/4, d 6/8. Close harmonies create a misty opening. Cello and violin 3/viola introduce a cantabile theme. Higher position work in violin 1. Opening leads to a rustic jig in the minor key and a section for a quartet of 'solo' players. Full, lush string sound, a little reminiscent of Vaughan-Williams in places. A relatively easy cello part.
La Llorona – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
a phrygian, 4/4 (mostly). Inspired by the Spanish legend of 'The Weeping Woman'. A smorgasbord of Spanish dances - entrada, tango, seranata, fandango and bolero – culminating in a lively vivo section with an accelerando to the end. A definite Spanish feel to this piece, with lots of contrast and drama. Optional percussion parts are included, but they need good players. Six minutes duration.
Locus Iste (Made By God) – Anton Bruckner/arr Antoni Boneti (U/P)
C, 4/4. This arrangement of this lovely chorale/hymn is a welcome addition to the string repertoire. A good piece for developing tone and bow control. Contains some position work in violin 1. The beautiful harmonies get a little chromatic in places and would need players with secure pitch. Violin 3 doubles viola. No piano part.
Tilt Train Ride – John Rotar (U/P)
d/C, alternates 4/4, 3/8. An energetic, lively, rhythmic piece with some tricky rhythms and time signature changes. At times a little Bartokian in places, both harmonically and rhythmically, and at times quite folk like.
Momentum – Richard Meyer (H/E)
D, 4/4. An energetic, lively piece with lots of repeated semiquaver passages. A rhythmic opening is followed by a legato middle section. Some position work in the violin 1 and cello parts.
Avian Dance – Joshua Reznicow (LML)
C, 4/4. This piece makes use of very interesting textures in the opening and ending sections – quite different from the usual fare – employing harmonics and ostinato effects, suggesting perhaps flocks of birds and open skies. There is position work in the violin 1 and cello parts. The middle section is energetic and rhythmic with some difficult entries. No piano or violin 3 provided.
NEW MUSIC READING DAY 2009
Once again this year we are indebted to AUSTA Q Committee Member, Daniel Holloway for his concise but comprehensive review of the pieces that were presented at the annual AUSTA Q Reading Day held on 8th February at Somerville House in Brisbane. For members who were unable to attend the Reading Day and for those that may have become a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of works read on the day, Daniel’s comments will provide some clarity.
Each year AUSTA’s reading day becomes bigger or better in some little way. For this year’s event, the committee read through many of the overseas publications at the end of last year in a ‘preliminary reading day’ and put the short listed pieces into folders. I am sure I speak for others as well, when I say that my brain was a little less overwhelmed than in previous years, having sacrificed some of the quantity of music for, hopefully, a higher quality. It also meant that the reading of the pieces, especially as the afternoon wore on, was a little less rushed and perhaps we were able to do them a little more justice.
The nearly 60 string teachers who turned up on the day still managed, however, to read through an impressive 48 pieces, of which 27 were by local composers. We welcomed the new talents of John Rotar from Bundaberg and Antoni Bonetti. We also welcomed back Wendy Ireland and Michael Stocks, both of whom made the trip especially from Sydney, in addition to locals Loreta Fin, Keith Sharp, Anne Svendsen, Michael Patterson and Stephen Chin.
After the playing was completed, and as members of the committee discussed repertoire for Music Fest, other committee members and volunteers helped pack remaining music into folders ready to be sent to other AUSTA branches around Australia for similar reading days.
Once again, a big thankyou must go to Loreta Fin and Somerville House for providing the venue. Many thanks also to composers and publishers for supplying music, the AUSTA committee for providing the morning tea, and for the preparation leading up to the event, and finally to Kaye Scott of Prestige Music for providing the lunch.
The set works chosen for this year’s Music Fest are:
High School A Grade
Stephen Chin Jigs in the Mist
Richard Meyer Momentum
Michael Patterson Grand Royale
Keith Sharp La Llorona
High School B Grade
Stephen Chin (arr.) Concerto in G
Keith Sharp Caulderon
Soon Hee Newbold North Star to Freedom
Michael Patterson The Mystic
High School C Grade
Loreta Fin Sailing Into Moreton Bay
Michael Stocks Furioso
Soon Hee Newbold Riders in the Night (Life of a Cowboy)
Keith Sharp Two Courtly Dances
Primary School A Grade
Keith Sharp Haydn's Lost Chorale
Loreta Fin Spine Chiller
Carl Johnson Critter Crawl
Primary School B Grade
Stephen Chin (arr.) Two Dances from the German Baroque: Sarabande and Rigaudon (either one)
Keith Sharp Arabesque
Loreta Fin Fruit Salad or Chilli Salsa
Robert Frost Cable Car Crossing
Primary School C Grade
Anne Svendsen First Finger Pachelbel
Stephen Chin Sunrise at Kakadu or Twilight Trek
Elliot del Borgo Marche Oriental
Bel Belwin Mills (Alfred)
DP Dynamic Publications
ES Everything String
FJH FJH Publishing
H/E Highland/Etling (Alfred)
HL Hal Leonard
Kjos Kjos
LML Latham Music Ltd.
MHSP Music House String Publications
Moon Moonmusic (Michael Patterson: mikeymoon1@gmail.com)
WF Wilfin
WI W. Ireland Music Publications Australia
U/P Unpublished or publisher to be confirmed
C GRADE PRIMARY
First Finger Pachelbel – Anne Svendsen (LML)
D, 4/4. As the title suggests, based on Pachelbel's Canon and uses only first finger and open strings. Bass solo at beginning. Has low 1st fingers on C string in viola part. Suggest changing these to A on the G string for less advanced players. Quite effective. Good for developing some bowing and rhythm skills. No violin 3 or piano parts.
Sunrise At Kakadu – Stephen Chin (ES)
G, 4/4. An evocative opening – good for working on tone and legato bowing. Has an improvisatory section where players can make up bird calls. Paired with Twilight Trek.
Twilight Trek – Stephen Chin (ES)
G, 4/4. A sprightly, playful character. Lots of subito dynamic changes and scope for working on contrasting bowings (staccato, tenuto, accents). Paired with Sunrise at Kakadu.
Marche Oriental – Elliot del Borgo (Ken)
This piece was not read on our reading day, but has been added to the Music Fest list.
B GRADE PRIMARY/C GRADE HIGH
Furioso – Michael Stocks (DP)
a, 4/4. A rhythmic opening to this piece, making use of sequences. A more legato middle section follows, with some position work in violin 1, although it is divisi in octaves, so players can stay in 1st position if not confident in the higher positions. A more challenging high school C grade piece, but a comparatively easy cello part.
Two Dances from the German Baroque: Sarabande and Rigaudon – Stephen Chin arr (ES)
G, 3/4; G, 4/4. An arrangement of a lesser known Pachelbel Sarabande, coupled with an arrangement of a Rigaudon by Georg Bohm.
Two Courtly Dances – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 2/4. A constant quaver rhythm, which can be played off the string or on for younger players, gives this piece a lively character. A short bridge passage, scored for piano solo but cued in string parts in case there is no piano, leads to a contrasting second dance, followed by a return to the first dance. Viola part alternately doubles the violin 1 and 2 parts. An easier piece for this level.
Arabesque – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
D, 4/4. A smooth, gently flowing piece, essentially a conversation between upper and middle/lower strings. Mostly crotchets and quavers, but effective. Has a brief, easy fourth position section for cellos. Cute ending. An easier piece for this level.
Fruit Salad – Loreta Fin (WF)
D, 4/4. A celebration of different rhythms, namely: ‘watermelon’, ‘strawberry’, ‘mango’ and ‘passionfruit’. Rhythmically in two sections - upper and lower strings. There is a contrasting legato B minor middle section. Paired with Chilli Salsa.
Chilli Salsa – Loreta Fin (WF)
G, 4/4. In a calypso style, with many syncopated rhythms and accents, but rhythms are repetitive and easy to learn. Rhythmically in one or two parts. Paired with Fruit Salad.
Sailing Into Moreton Bay – Loreta Fin (WF)
d, 3/4. A flowing, sonorous piece. Good piece for developing tone and orchestral sound. Paired with Spine Chiller.
Bless The Lord (Psalm 134) Tallis Canon – Thomas Tallis/arr Antoni Bonetti (U/P)
G, 4/4. An arrangement of the well known Tallis Canon. Some tasteful dynamics give this version a very musical quality. Violin 1 contains position work. Other parts are quite easy, and some effective harmonies have been added. Violin 3 doubles viola. No piano part.
Lullaby For Nicholas – Bob Cerulli (Bel)
D, 3/4. A gentle, soothing piece with scope for working on phrasing and rubati. No violin 3 part. Optional piano part.
Dominique's Dance (A Mariachi Waltz) – John Nieto (Bel)
G, 3/4. A Mariachi waltz. Melody features in all sections except bass. Bass part is necessary, however, or it can be covered using piano. No violin 3 part included. Nice but not highly interesting to play.
Cable Car Crossing – Robert Frost (Kjos)
G, 4/4. A charming, very likeable little piece with some interesting harmonies. Overall quite catchy and appealing. Some scope for working on bow speeds and articulations.
Crosscurrent – Robert Longfield (HL)
e, 4/4. A fast, rhythmic piece with nice interplay between the parts. Repeated quavers need to be off the string. Has an optional percussion part.
Eagles Pride – Susan Day (H/E)
a, 4/4. A sombre, stately piece with some nice textures. There is interest in all parts but the bass part is very easy.
Mystical Quest – Jeremy Woolstenhulme (Kjos)
e, 4/4. This piece has interest in all parts but there is a similarity in texture all the way through (despite the middle section being slower and more gentle) which makes the piece seem quite long. The parts are all quite independent.
Riders In The Night (Life Of A Cowboy) – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 4/4. This piece has a march/journey-like quality with interest in all parts and a nice feel to the music. There are F naturals in the violin 1 part.
Back And Forth – Dean Sorenson (Kjos)
G, 4/4. An up beat piece in a ‘Latin style’, relatively simple but with lively rhythms. Piano part is essential to give the feel. Drum set and percussion parts are included. There is no violin 3 part. More suitable for high school.
Neil Gow's Lament – Neil Gow arr Deborah Baker Monday (H/E)
d, 3/4. A Scottish melody. Begins with a long Violin 1 section solo, then the melody is eventually given to all sections including bass (doubling cellos). An appealing melody with a nice texture. Nearly 5 minutes long, but one could easily make cuts as required. More suited to high school.
A GRADE PRIMARY/B GRADE HIGH
Radetsky March – Wendy Ireland (WI)
D, 2/2. A festival arrangement for three orchestras (high school B, high school C/primary B and primary D). Some tricky string crossings in the first violin part. Junior part is mostly unison and open strings with some easy fingered notes.
Star Wars – Wendy Ireland (WI)
G, 4/4. A festival arrangement for three orchestras (high school B, high school C/primary B and primary D), sure to appeal to students. Demi-semiquaver upbeats require some precision.
Irish Fancy – Wendy Ireland (WI)
d/D, 4/4 and 6/8. Another festival piece, this time for string orchestra, solo viola and harp with optional beginner parts. A rhapsodic opening with sonorous harmonies shows off the viola. A cheerful, energetic middle section in 6/8 with claps, stamps and shouts ensues. Ends with a brief return to the opening character.
Caulderon – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 4/4. Begins in a majestic, flowing style with sonorous melodies in the middle parts and more of a 2/2 feel rather than 4/4. A contrasting, playful middle section with a celtic feel follows. There is some position work in the violin 1 and cello parts. The piece returns to the flowing opening section, with interpolations added in the first violin part. A solid high school B grade piece.
The Mystic – Michael Patterson (Moon)
b, 6/8 and 4/4. Begins with a driving rhythmic accompaniment with a cantabile melody in the inner parts. Some 3 against 2 rhythms. Contrasting middle section - more of a rock flavour with syncopated accents. Some sul ponticello and slap pizzicato effects. Some 3rd position in violin 1. A full sounding, enjoyable piece with great contrasts. No piano part. (Suggest tempo is dotted crotchet = 76)
Concerto In G – Stephen Chin arr (ES)
G, 4/4. From Vivaldi’s Concerto for Mandolin RV 425. Typically Vivaldi with lots of repeated semiquavers in the violin parts. Middle and lower parts have some melodic interest.
Haydn's Lost Chorale – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
G, 2/2. A revised version of 'The Abbey'. Inspired by Haydn's St Anthony Chorale, the rhythm and texture are reminiscent of Haydn’s chorale.
Spine Chiller – Loreta Fin (WF)
d, 4/4. A spooky piece utilising many different string playing techniques: sul ponticello, Bartok pizzicato, tremolo and glissando. Some effective use of dissonances in a tonal context gives this piece a contemporary character while still remaining very approachable for young students. Paired with Sailing into Moreton Bay.
Hava Nagila – Michael Stocks arr. (DP)
b, 4/4. An effective arrangement of this traditional Jewish melody. Features a number of accelerandi and other tempo changes, in keeping with the Jewish character. Has a violin solo. Rich harmonies. There is a good amount of interest in the viola/violin 3 part but less so in the cello part. No piano part.
Theme From James Bond – Monty Norman/Wendy Ireland (WI)
e, 4/4. This piece is in 6 parts with separate violin 3 and viola parts. (There is also a 6 cello version available!) Thers is interest in most parts but the bass part is quite repetitive. Needs an orchestra with a secure sense of rhythm. The original character of this piece is well maintained. No piano part is currently available but one could be provided on request. A relatively difficult high school B grade piece.
Hush Lil Baby – Lloyd Conley arr (HL)
G/C, 4/4. A Carolina folk lullaby. Slow, mostly crotchets and minims. No piano part included. Bass part is necessary. Contains some F naturals on D and E strings and some easy chromaticisms. An easy primary school A grade piece, but would need players more advanced than B grade to sound effective. Not a particularly exciting piece.
I Will Follow Him – Larry Moore arr/ J W Stole And Del Roma (HL)
G, 4/4. Made famous by the film Sister Act this piece is in a ‘relaxed 50s rock style’, albeit quite up-beat. Inner parts hold the melody much of the time against a rhythmic accompaniment. Features 'falloffs' (falling glissandi) in the upper parts. Percussion parts are included, and an optional violin 3 version of the viola part is not included, but this is not ideal for the viola section solos, although they are doubled in the cello part.
Apache – Jerry Lordan/ arr Larry Moore (HL)
a, 4/4. A relaxed, sauntering piece with the melody often in the lower strings against a rhythmic accompaniment. The optional violin 3 part is not suitable for the viola section solos, but these are doubled in the cello part. Bass part is sempre pizzicato. A drum set part is included.
Giant Slimy Squid – Thom Sharp (LML)
g, 4/4. Marked moderato calamario, this is a more contemporary sounding work harmonically, with chromatic movement in many parts. It features tremolos and glissandi. Texture is thick and often in the lower registers, providing little humour beyond the tempo marking. Not to everyone’s taste, and not suitable for primary school. Bass part is awkward. One has to wonder if the end result is worth the work needed to learn it.
The Three Groovy Grizzlies – Carrie Lane Gruselle (FJH)
G, 4/4. A relaxed swing feel. There is interest in all sections and solos in all sections (except bass). Frequent rapid changes from pizzicato to arco in the bass part. An easy high school B grade piece. More suited to high school.
Critter Crawl – Carl Johnson (Bel)
g, 4/4. A rhythmic, misterioso character. Lots of dotted rhythms, and entries after quaver rests. Articulations, crescendi and diminuendi help to make this piece effective. No piano part included.
Sinfonia In G – Carl Stamitz/ arr Bob Phillips (H/E)
G, 3/4. A lively piece in typical Classical style. Needs off-the-string quavers in accompanying parts. Some third position work in the violin 1 part. A relatively easy bass part. No violin 3 or piano parts included.
North Star To Freedom – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 3/4 2/4 4/4. A sarabande-like opening leads to a slow march. A rhythmically more lively but still sombre middle section becomes brighter for a while, then leads to an ending in B minor. This piece features sustained melodies coupled with rhythmic counter melodies. An easy high school A grade or difficult B grade piece. It is a long piece which requires sustained energy to perform. More suited to high school.
Desert Sands – Soon Hee Newbold (FJH)
a, 4/4. This piece has an Arabian feel. Long notes alternate with moving figures in the melody, and good sustaining is needed on the long notes. There is a violin 3 version of the viola part, but the viola is often on the C string and the violin would lose some of this character. We felt this piece may be a little uninteresting for a high school B grade orchestra – more suited to a good C grade orchestra in the high school situation.
A GRADE HIGH
The Armed Man Sees The Light – Stephen Chin (ES)
g/D/G, various time signatures. Festival piece for massed orchestra of four different levels. Orchestras C (primary school B level) and D (primary school C level) are optional. Orchestra D is essentially in two parts – upper and lower strings. Also has parts for untuned percussion. No piano part. All parts are quite manageable for their level and should be relatively easy to learn within a limited time. Final sections have an African flavour. A lengthy piece at just over 10 minutes.
Grand Royale – Michael Patterson (Moon)
G, 4/4. Maestoso beginning leads to a festive, playful second section with ricochet bowing, harmonics and left hand pizzicato. Has separate violin 3 and viola parts. Plenty of opportunities for lower strings (including viola) to play melodies. Occasional time signature changes. Reflective, slightly melancholy 3rd section, ending in cello cadenza (with alternative for violin). An uplifting tutti allegro ending. Very expressive piece.
Jigs In The Mist – Stephen Chin (ES)
D 3/4, d 6/8. Close harmonies create a misty opening. Cello and violin 3/viola introduce a cantabile theme. Higher position work in violin 1. Opening leads to a rustic jig in the minor key and a section for a quartet of 'solo' players. Full, lush string sound, a little reminiscent of Vaughan-Williams in places. A relatively easy cello part.
La Llorona – Keith Sharp (MHSP)
a phrygian, 4/4 (mostly). Inspired by the Spanish legend of 'The Weeping Woman'. A smorgasbord of Spanish dances - entrada, tango, seranata, fandango and bolero – culminating in a lively vivo section with an accelerando to the end. A definite Spanish feel to this piece, with lots of contrast and drama. Optional percussion parts are included, but they need good players. Six minutes duration.
Locus Iste (Made By God) – Anton Bruckner/arr Antoni Boneti (U/P)
C, 4/4. This arrangement of this lovely chorale/hymn is a welcome addition to the string repertoire. A good piece for developing tone and bow control. Contains some position work in violin 1. The beautiful harmonies get a little chromatic in places and would need players with secure pitch. Violin 3 doubles viola. No piano part.
Tilt Train Ride – John Rotar (U/P)
d/C, alternates 4/4, 3/8. An energetic, lively, rhythmic piece with some tricky rhythms and time signature changes. At times a little Bartokian in places, both harmonically and rhythmically, and at times quite folk like.
Momentum – Richard Meyer (H/E)
D, 4/4. An energetic, lively piece with lots of repeated semiquaver passages. A rhythmic opening is followed by a legato middle section. Some position work in the violin 1 and cello parts.
Avian Dance – Joshua Reznicow (LML)
C, 4/4. This piece makes use of very interesting textures in the opening and ending sections – quite different from the usual fare – employing harmonics and ostinato effects, suggesting perhaps flocks of birds and open skies. There is position work in the violin 1 and cello parts. The middle section is energetic and rhythmic with some difficult entries. No piano or violin 3 provided.
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