Choosing Repertoire
Choosing music can be one of the most difficult tasks for any music teacher. When I first started teaching junior high, I spent hours sifting through files of music that my school owned. I found it very overwhelming and frustrating. Here are a couple of suggestions for any orchestra teachers trying to choose music:
1. Ask around! Most teachers have favorite pieces or arrangers that they will be happy to recommend. (For instance, I know that anything arranged by Sandra Dackow will be a great arrangement that is true to the original composition.)
2. Attend concerts of groups that will be playing your students’ level of music. My mother plays in a New Horizons Orchestra (which is an orchestra geared towards adults over 50 learning a string instrument for the first time). The level of music performed at her concerts is comparable to music I would choose for my Junior High aged students. The conductor of the group is a well respected university music education professor, so I know the music selection will be carefully thought out. I have gained many great suggestions from these concerts and other Junior High performances.
3. Use resources such as the book, “Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra.” (see link on the right) This series of books lists repertoire for all levels and even gives lesson planning ideas including historical background, form and structure, and suggested listening. CD recordings are also available and can be used in class while teaching the piece.
Orchestra teachers, please comment on this post and leave your favorite suggestions of literature for school orchestras. I’m working on putting together a list of my favorite pieces and I’ll post it within the next couple weeks.
Topics: Classroom Teachers |
December 14th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I wonder whether you or any of your colleagues have come across music for younger string orchestras of my own, published by Goodmusic Publishing in the UK. They have a website -
www.goodmusicpublishing.co.uk - and I hope it would be possible to view some score pages there. I too have found repertoire a real headache and have tried to provide worthwhile, attractive pieces which are grateful to play. Please excuse a bit of shameless self-advertising. Happy Christmas.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Thanks for the suggestion Robin
Here is a (non-comprehensive) list of some good arrangers and pieces of music. This was compiled from various string teachers I’ve talked with. Hopefully it will help if you’re feeling stuck!
Arrangers:
Merle Issac
o Music often has a separate advanced violin part plus first and second.
o Makes repertoire accessible to string players. (Read article in 1992 ASTA Journal)
• Brandenburg 2 (F Major), 3 (G Major), 5 (D Major)
• Farandole- Good for teaching spiccato. 7-8 grade.
• Russian Sailor’s Dance- Full orchestra version also works with just strings.
• Hungarian Dances (Brahms)
• Ballet Parisian- Contains the Can-Can melody
• Hopak
Robert Frost
• Heber Creeper
• Scheherazade
• Sanseneon
William Hofhelt
• The Gift
• Lullaby
• Dance Parhelia
• Centennial Overture- Full Orchestra
Elliott Del Borgo
o Very rhythmic
• Tachanka
• Rustic Dance- 2nd Year
• Arlington Sketches
• Hungarian Airs and Dances
Richard Stephen
• Fanfare and Frippery nos. 1 & 2 (Highly Recommended)
• Australian Folk Tune- Grade 3
Sandra Dackow
o Excellent arranger of full orchestra pieces to string.
• Mozart Symphonies
• Mahler 1, mvmt III
• Tchaikovsky- The Little Russian
• Dvorak 8, Finale
• Dance of the Tumblers (2-3 year)
Shirl Atwell
• Drifen (4-5 year)
Debbie Monday
• For the Star of County Down, Other Celtic/ Irish music
Other Good Pieces:
- San Joaquin Delta Suite
- Walking Basses
- Gaelic Overture
- Sabre Dance
- Vaughan Williams- Concerto Grosso for Strings
o Has parts for all skill levels- Can be used at a collaborative concert with middle school through high school.
- Bring a Torch Janette Isabella
- Entrance of the Queen of Sheba- arr. by HB Fisher (Highland Etling) Grade 2
- Dance Diabolique by Jared Spears (Kjos) Grade 2½
- Legend by David O’Fallon (Highland Etling) Grade 3
- Rosin Eating Zombies from Outer Space by Richard Meyer (Highland Etling) Grade 3
- Bold Venture by ML Daniels (Kjos) Grade 4
o Lots of half position for violas.
- Cello Rondo by ML Daniels Grade 2
- Fumble Fingers – 2nd Year
- Little Classic Suite by John Akers
o 3 movement suite- typical classical form
o Out of print- Write Carl Fischer for permission to copy (about $50)
Method/ Supplemental Books:
- Third Year Method Books (only 2)
o All For Strings- easier
o Strictly Strings- harder
- Strings Extraordinaire
- Christmas Kaleidoscope
Pop Music
- Cherry Hill Publications
o Latest pop music
o Orange Blossom Special (difficult)