Fiddler's Farewell is a beautiful Gaelic-style music piece for middle and high school string players. It allows expressive playing with emphasis on phrasing and dynamics. Keith Sharp's arrangement involves all players with melody, harmony, and accompaniment roles. The music has technical challenges and lyrical possibilities to keep all ensemble members engaged. An optional piano part is available, but it is not essential. Graded at level 2.5, it's 3 minutes and 15 seconds long in E Aeolian Mode and related keys.
Fiddler's Farewell is a beautiful piece of music with a Gaelic style perfect for middle and high school string players. It allows for expressive playing with an emphasis on phrasing and dynamics. The middle part of the music has a lively dance section that balances out the flowing outer sections. Keith Sharp's arrangement is designed to involve all players by sharing the melody, harmony, and accompaniment roles. The music has enough technical challenges and lyrical possibilities to keep all ensemble members engaged, regardless of their skill level. An optional piano part is available to enhance the texture of the performance, but it is not essential. The music is graded at level 2.5, and the duration is approximately 3 minutes and 15 seconds. The key of the music is E Aeolian Mode and related keys.
Caulderon was renowned for its magical prowess. Alchemy saved the city from imminent collapse into the sea and raised it into the air. According to Elfin legends, the floating city would occasionally visit other lands, carried by the winds. During these visits, the people of Caulderon would trade their magical wares with the locals. However, the visits were always short, and the city’s movements depended on the winds.
This piece has an Irish essence and features lively fiddle-style themes contrasting with lyrical countermelodies. As you play, pass the melodic interest between the sections and experiment with different articulations, dynamics, and timbres inherent in the music. The 1st Violins get to show off with a fun yet playable fiddle break. The piece ends with an energetic, “all-in-together” finish that will leave the audience feeling roused. Fiddle O’Finnigan is popular with students, teachers, and audiences alike! The folio includes parts for the String Orchestra (8-8-4-4-6-2), the Conductor’s score, and an optional Piano accompaniment.
“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.
In 1700, the Last Dodo danced The Last Waltz on Mauritius Island. Valse Triste is a B minor waltz tribute to the extinct bird. It’s a tuneful and balanced piece with a soulful cello, a lyrical first violin, and various melodies, harmonies, and rhythms for inner players. It’s an excellent practice for waltz strokes and rhythms.
Keith Sharp is a Brisbane-based string educator, composer, and guest lecturer. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1984 and has created award-winning programs and popular compositions worldwide.
Fiddle Fever by Keith Sharp is a lively country-style music piece for string orchestra. It has memorable intertwining lines passed among the sections, supported by a bass line and an optional piano accompaniment. Perfect for all ages, this piece will make you tap your toes and enjoy some real toe-tappin' fiddlin' with your partner!
Keith Sharp is a celebrated music teacher in Brisbane, Australia. He has a Bachelor of Music degree and a postgraduate diploma in education. Keith is known for his exceptional string programs, ensembles and compositions. His music is popular in Australia and internationally. Keith is often invited to work as a clinician, guest conductor, and lecturer.
Winter Sunshine is a musical composition created for a junior string ensemble. It has a warm vocal style that features three essential lines played in unison, opening up into a satisfying harmony and bass line. The piano part adds tonal and harmonic depth to the texture, making it easier for younger players to rehearse and perform confidently. Keith Sharp, a renowned string educator in Brisbane, composed the piece and has been recognised globally. He has a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Further Education, is a past president of AUSTA Queensland, and is co-author of Encore on Strings - Music Maestros.
This piece involves repeated upper-half staccato with crescendo and decrescendo, along with an exciting countermelody. The parts are evenly balanced, and all players get the chance to play the tune at some point. Upper violinists may choose to play in the third position as recommended. You can enjoy exploring the possibilities with the old saying, "It's worse than a curse!"
"The Wild Colonial Boy" is a ballad about Jack Doolan, an Irish-Australian bushranger who was captured and killed by troopers. The song's nostalgic character is portrayed through lyrical part-writing, pizzicato, and tremolo effects. This arrangement, set in D major, features interesting lines for all players. Adding it to your concert line-up is a great way to introduce an Australian classic.
