Music from La La Land for String Orchestra Grade 3-4
With 14 nominations and 6 Oscars, La La Land and its charismatic cast cultivated a new worldwide audience for film musicals. With memorable songs by composer Justin Hurwitz (including Oscar winner “City of Stars”), Larry Moore's superb arrangement is great entertainment for most any performance.
Melodies from Another Day of Sun, City of Stars, Mia and Sebastian's Theme, Audition (The Fools Who Dream).
Two contrasting works with enduring melodies. "Let All Mortal Flesh" is dynamic, from an old French folk song. The "Drunken Sailor" arrangement is a gem, highlighting all sections. A hit with younger musicians!
“La Llorona” is a 6-minute programmatic piece for a high school string orchestra with optional percussion. It tells a story based on a Spanish/Mexican legend of La Malinche, a noble Aztec girl sold into slavery to Mayan merchants. The music starts with an Entrada, signalling the arrival of the Spanish fleet led by Cortés, who colonized Mexico.
La Malinche was a translator and mistress to the conqueror Cortés. She had twin boys with him, but when he was convinced to return to Spain with a Spanish aristocrat, La Malinche realized the hopelessness of her situation and drowned herself and her children in a nearby river.
The musette is a small French bagpipe that gained popularity in Louis XIV's time. It has a consistent G note for beginners. The "Air" is a beautiful tune from Handel's opera "Rinaldo". The set ends with a jolly bourree by the prolific composer Georg Philipp Telemann.
Katie O'Hara LaBrie, Snow Day! for String Orchestra (Alfred Music)
Waking up on a cold winter day. Sledding. Hot chocolate. It's a snow day! Written by Katie O'Hara LaBrie, Snow Day! is craftily designed only using the notes of a D major scale. This highly accessible piece, with its bright melodies and jingle bell accompaniment will delight students and audiences.
