"Headin' West" is a suite comprising three pieces of breathtaking scenery while visiting small towns in the Australian bush. These pieces reflect the wallabies hopping in paddocks, the mesmerizing night sky away from the city lights, and the annual rodeo events. The piano part is an essential aspect of these pieces and is highly recommended for use while performing them.
Contents:
Wallaby Hop
Starry Night Waltz
Rodeo!
Instrumentation: Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3/Viola, Cello, Bass, Piano
Iron Horse Express is a Grade 2 piece that musically depicts a steam train on its journey. It captures the sounds of bells, whistles, and hissing steam. Before steam locomotives, horses pulled rail cars and wagons along tracks. The piece features optional vocal effects for escaping steam but is not essential to the performance. Placing bows down for the pizzicato passages can help maintain a steady tempo.
Listen to it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e-t_l9vItA
Windward Waltz for String Orchestra is a graceful and elegant composition by Timo Jarvela that evokes a feeling of calmness and relaxation. The piece showcases the composer's skilful ability to weave together intricate melodies and harmonies into a cohesive and harmonious whole. Overall, it's a beautiful and enchanting piece of music that will delight audiences of all ages.
Fiddle Tune is a simple melody in A and D major that helps young players move their bow arms. It can be played in unison, and octave harmonics are optional. An optional tacet at ‘B’ and “pizz ‘n slap” accompaniment provide a final challenge.
Ostinato Mysteriato is a mature-sounding piece in A Mixolydian. It’s based on a repeating pattern passed around the orchestra, which challenges young players. The piano part is optional but adds a nice touch.
"Fiddlin' to Freedom" is a Timo Jarvela composition for string orchestra. The piece starts with a spiritual-style intro, followed by a lively gospel-style tune with a distinct fiddlin flavour. The instrumentation includes Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3/Viola, Cello, Bass, and Piano. It's graded at level 2 and has a duration of 3.00.
Listen to it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNL8dTNcjnY
"A Mixed Bag" is a collection of six popular folk songs and nursery rhymes, including Frere Jacques, Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had A Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle, Au Claire de la Lune, and This Old Man. This arrangement presents them in interesting and sometimes surprising harmonic contexts, which makes it appealing to both young players and audiences. The instrumentation includes Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3/Viola, Cello, Bass, and Piano. The piece has a duration of 3.00 minutes and is graded 1.5.
Listen to it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-qWhs9Q-UM
Composed by Timo Jarvela, Carriage Ride is a lively and fun piece perfect for Grade 1 piano students. The piece starts with a cheerful introduction and progresses to a playful and energetic melody, providing an engaging and entertaining experience for students to develop their skills and musicality.
