COMPOSITIONS FOR TEACHING
• Superstars!, for Middle School String Orchestra (Grade 3) (performed February 2011 in Carnegie Hall)
This piece features the cellos and basses and teaches more complex rhythms.
Superstars!
• All the Pretty Little Horses, for Middle School String Orchestra (Grade 3) and SA choir
This piece contains a little melody for everyone, even basses and violas! Violas are doubled by violin C, just in case. The violin A part is significantly more difficult, going up to 5th position, but could be played by one advanced student, or even left out. The choir part was written for unchanged voices, but could also be sung in octaves SAT, SAB, or SATB.
All the Pretty Little Horses
• Busy, from Dawn of a New Day, for Middle School String Orchestra (Grade 1.5–2)
Busy was written to teach strong rhythm counting and pulse. It contains off-beats and changing meters. However, the finger patterns are simple, mostly high 2’s, with one introductory chromatic passage.