The Dancing Peppers is a charming and light-hearted piece featuring repeated figures reminiscent of a familiar Mexican theme. The work is fun to play, yet teachers will find it packed with wonderful elementary string teaching points that help encourage both left- and right-hand technical development and refinement.
"The Dancing Peppers" is a delightful and cheerful piece of music featuring repetitive patterns reminiscent of a famous Mexican theme. This composition is enjoyable to play and offers an excellent opportunity for string music teachers to teach their students various elementary techniques that can help develop and refine their left- and right-hand technical skills.
The piece's middle section contrasts with the rest and modulates to G major. It allows students to explore techniques such as detaché and staccato strokes, pizzicato, and scalic figures. The musical parts are well-balanced, ensuring that all ensemble sections participate enthusiastically. Additionally, the piece comes with an optional piano accompaniment.
Keith Sharp earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1984. He's been a string educator in Brisbane since then, creating award-winning programs and compositions. His works are popular in Australia and internationally. Keith is also a clinician, guest conductor, and guest lecturer.
Chin, Haydn Symphony No.60 1st Movement
This arrangement for strings is faithful to the original work with the added features of sharing the melodic lines, a slight editing of a few bars of the bass part, a violin 3 part and a keyboard realization. It is also an excellent way to develop Classical style spiccato in more advanced players.
“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.
1. Musette
2. Air
3. Bouree
For String Orchestra Grade 2
Through the jungles of southern Mexico, the Aztec Warrior's journey is full of adventure and danger. This is a fun work for grade 1 groups in B minor which uses only D and A string notes. Duration 1:30.
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).
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.
