SKU: A0.850795

Bella Noche, for string quartet or string orchestra, is a deeply felt romantic waltz, perfect for weddings and concert programs, intermediate level and above. The rich melody is followed by a shimmering middle section in which the upper strings play off each other and the piece ends with a quietly satisfying reference to the opening. This 3 minute waltz in G major gives each part something beautiful to play and will be especially loved by your viola and cello sections. This piece is also available for piano solo, and could be performed as a strings and piano piece, or just for strings alone. Bella Noche was premiered by the Folsom Lake College Youth Chamber Orchestra, Dr. Evgeniy Sporov, who conducted and provided the bowings, in Folsom, California, May 6 -7, 2017 at the Harris Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhuf8ZLdTQA

SKU: A0.750118

Open strings and power chords give this one a raw, rock feel in the style of Smoke on the Water. Remember that us string players were playing gritty sounds sul ponticello long before distorted electric guitars were even invented!

Watch/Listen:
http://youtu.be/ksMCZkk9UHc

About Creative Strings 
Eye players read music. Ear players improvise. Today’s well-rounded students need instruction in both. Creative Strings is a collection of works designed to lead beginning to advanced students through their first experiences as improvisers. Each piece is composed of four parts that can roughly be described as melody, harmony, accompaniment and bass line. All four parts are available for the violin, viola and cello. The bass has one part. An optional piano part is also provided. The the ideal distribution is Vln. 1, Vln. 2, Vla. 3, and Cello 4. However the intentionally redundant parts allow for flexible combinations of instruments. If for example, no violas or cellos are available, a violin choir could still cover the parts. The same would hold true for a non-traditional quartet such as 3 violins and 1 cello or any other grouping. Overlapping parts can also be used to equalize an unbalanced orchestra such as 20 violins and 1 viola player by having some of the violins double the viola part.

SKU: A0.759592

Music for beginner and first-year string players with performance in mind. Despite this piece being playable with only open strings and first finger, the backing track makes it sound much more complex and advanced! The following are assumed to be learnt in advance:

 Violin 1 / Viola 1 / Cello 1 / Double Bass: Crotchets (quarter notes), minims (half notes) and dotted minims (dotted half notes), crotchet rests (quarter rests). Open strings and first finger one tone higher on G, D and A strings.

Violin A / Viola A (A for advanced): the above plus second and third fingers making the tone-tone-semitone shape from the open string.

Violoncello A: the above plus all four fingers in first shape. The use of second finger is clearly marked.

 As many or a few parts as required can perform the piece, though the 1 parts have the true melody if used alone. Admittedly the Double Bass part musically interferes with the bass part of the backing track but is added for inclusion purposes.

 The backing track adds considerably and is essential for the performance. It can be bought separately from the same website. If there are any problems or requests please get in touch with the composer through his website at www.marklansom.com

SKU: A0.1286698

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS PARTS 2 of 2 (Harp and Strings).  This four act contemporary opera, original libretto and music, by 21st century American composer James Nathaniel Holland is the story of the triumph of Love over Evil, however delayed, and the power of keeping steadfast to one’s righteous promise.  

Based on the German fairy tale The Six Swans, in a kingdom, during Saxon times, the murderous daughter of an evil entity, Ravia, infiltrates and takes over the lives of a royal family due to the King’s rash promise to marry her many years before. 

The royal children are sent away by their father for safety to a hidden, woodland cottage, but Ravia discovers where they are and hexes the younger siblings, turning them into swallows.  Usha, the eldest, escapes and flees to the wilderness and is visited by the apparition of her dead mother who explains what is going on and that Usha must swear an oath of silence for six years to break the spell and change her siblings back into human form.

Five years pass and a dashing and kind king, Rohric, of another kingdom, finds Usha while hunting, falls in love with and marries her, but Usha must remain silent and cannot reveal who she is.  Ravia, who now is sole queen of the old kingdom, is invited by Rohric’s nobles with hope to secure a “proper� wedding for Rohric.  Usha is accused falsely of killing her own child by the two and is sentenced to be burned at the stake, but as the bell tolls she finally can declare her innocence.  To the crowd’s amazement her siblings change back, all truth is revealed, and for Ravia’s failure, she is dragged back to hell by demons.  

Singers:  King Alfred (bass), Ravia (soprano), Princess Usha (mezzo), Queen Mother Arna (soprano), the royal siblings (children’s/boy’s chorus), King Rohric (Tenor), The Evil Noble (baritone), An angel/a demon (bass), SATB Chorus

Scored for full orchestra.  Instrumentation:  picc/treble recorder, fl12, ob12, eh, cl12, bsn12, hrn 123, tpt123, trom12, tba, timp, perc.12 (bd, crash cym, ride cym with soft mallets and stick, small gong, wood blk, glk, chimes, snar, tri), hrp, strings

Duration:  2 hours
Full Orchestral Score (concert pitch), Piano Vocal Score and Instruments Parts 1 (woodwinds, brass, perc.) and Parts 2 (harp and strings) sold separately.

SKU: A0.509281

Jazzy Strings is an upbeat original jazz piece for intermediate string orchestras with optional drum set and piano accompaniment. If you are teaching improvisation to your orchestra, there is an 8 measure vamp section just for improv solos of any instrument. If you do not want to improv, just mark out that section. What a delight to introduce the strings to a sample of a jazzy tune . Great piece for concert. If you have want to add jazz band to your ensemble, see my version called Jazzy. This includes the jazz band version plus strings. Have Fun and Enjoy!