Multi-Level Orchestra Arrangements Friday, May 14, 2021
recommended by Megan W., Orchestra Specialist
Electric Sinfonia by Lauren Bernofsky, Grade 0.5-2.5
Teachers are often looking for a “Festival” or “Mass” piece they can play with several levels of players, so that all the groups in their whole program can be featured on a Spring concert. This Festival Orchestra Version of Lauren Bernofsky’s “Electric Sinonia” will fit the bill perfectly. Taking her best-selling, rockin’ Grade 2.5 version from 2014, the composer has added Grade 1.5 parts for middle schoolers and Grade 0.5 parts (all pizzicato) for elementary students. Your upper level players can easily nail down the Grade 2.5 parts and provide solidarity for your younger players. There is a constant eighth note rock groove that everyone can latch onto, fitting their part in with ease. Using a modal A minor with no sharps or flats and keeping the piece in 4/4 time from beginning to end, the main teaching element is rhythmic training, with an emphasis on subdividing the four beats of each measure so each student can fit their part in with the rest of the ensemble. Add some polish and your parents will be so proud!
Festival Rondo (Festival Edition) by Richard Meyer, Grade 1.5-3.5
Some school system somewhere wants to do a huge combined concert almost every Spring, featuring their elementary, middle and high school string orchestras. Up until now, it has been hard to recommend something that will work in that situation. Leave it to the inimitable Richard Meyer to solve the problem! Here is the perfect energetic closer to an “All City” multi-level concert. Combining three levels of string orchestra (and yes, there is a harp part too) with plenty of parts for everyone, each of the three levels gets featured at some point during the piece. There are a couple of key changes and some accidentals, but nothing your groups can’t handle by the end of the school year. It’s an entertaining extravaganza!
Greater Than by Brian Balmages, Grade 1-3.5
Commissioned by the National String Project Consortium, this gorgeous lyrical work can be performed alone as an intermediate level piece, or with multi-level supplemental parts (available separately) for beginning and developing string students. Orchestrated to celebrate inclusion and diversity, the multi-level option is designed to sound far “greater than” the intermediate version alone. Not your traditional festival orchestra piece by any means.
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About the Author:
Megan W., originally from Pittsburgh PA, is happy to call Columbus and Stanton’s Sheet Music “Home.” As a musician, Megan has played in marching and concert bands, youth orchestras, full orchestras, small ensembles, and a few choirs. Her interests include fiddling, reading, writing, martial arts and yoga.