Tango for Strings arr. Speckert (Baerenreiter) - Flexible String Ensemble

Chicken Licken by Chirs Allen for grades 4-6. Pub. Spartan Press.

“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.

Haydn’s Lost Chorale is a revised version of The Abbey, inspired by Haydn’s St. Anthony’s Chorale. It’s scored for string orchestra with optional piano, including violin 3 (treble viola) and violin parts. It features a dotted rhythm, quasi-classical textures and singing themes.

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.