String Orchestra Music - 2024-2025
String Orchestra Music - 2024-2025
Welcome Orchestra Directors
Early String Orchestra Series
Grade ½
Midnight Snack - George T. Frueh
Over the Fence - David Hinds
Accent Orchestra Series
Grade 1
Wind Rhythms - Doug Spata
Christmas Bingo - Larry Clark
Breakthrough Orchestra Series
Grade 1½
Asgard - Jeff Frizzi
Falling into Starlight - Matt Arnett
The Reel Deal - Mark Lortz
Trial by Fire - Peter Blair
Voyager Orchestra Series
Grade 2 to 2½
Wintersongs - Vaughn Williams, arr. Deborah Baker Monday
Precipice - Matt Arnett
Tango Rio - David Hinds
Absolutely Beethoven - arr. Tyler Arcari
Lia Fáil - Steve Parsons
Concert Orchestra Series
Grade 3 to 3½
Folksong Sketches - Vaughn Williams, arr. Deborah Baker Monday
What Lies Beyond - Steve Parsons
Adagio - Grieg, arr. Caryn Wiegand Neidhold
Legend of the Chevalier - Clifton Jones
All Is Calm, All Is Bright - Peter Blair
Twirling Tarantella - Sanchie Bobrow
Ariana - Peter Blair
Composers of New String Orchestra Music
Tyler Arcari
Matt Arnett
Peter Blair
Sanchie Bobrow
Larry Clark
Jeff Frizzi
George T. Frueh
David Hinds
Clifton Jones
Mark Lortz
Deborah Baker Monday
Caryn Wiegand Neidhold
Steve Parsons
Doug Spata
Choose the Perfect Level for Your Ensemble
Ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced, our string orchestra music is meticulously edited and follows a strict six-part grading system reflected in our color-coded series.
Grade .5
- Playable by first year students with limited study
- Uses only the first six notes of the D Major Scale
- Moderate tempo and 4/4 time signatures
- All sections have an opportunity to play the melody
Grade 1
- Playable by 1st year groups
- Keys of D and G; first position (Bass 3rd position); careful writing of low 2 for Violins and Violas while avoiding high 3
- Introducing 2/4 and 3/4 time signatures with whole, half, quarter and eighth note patterns with no syncopation
- Detache, pizzicato, staccato, legato and marcato bowings to expand your students' technique with the right hand
Grade 1.5
- Playable by 2nd year musicians
- Incorporates dotted quarter-notes and simple syncopated rhythms
- Expanded right hand technique of 2-note slurs, hooked bows and adjacent string crossings
- Open string double stops
Grades 2 to 2.5
- Playable by 2nd and 3rd year groups
- Introducing 6/8 time signatures
- New key signatures including C, A, F and Bb
- New positions for Violin, Cello and Bass
- More complex rhythms and fingered double stops
Grades 3 to 3.5
- Playable by advanced middle school and high school musicians
- Exploring higher positions for all strings
- Expanded literature for advancing programs
Grades 4 & Up
- Playable by high school musicians
- First Violins explore 5th position while second Violins and Violas move through 3rd position
- Cellos expand to 4th position while the Bass section works through 5th position