Orchestra Festival Sheet Music

From the Start by Laufey and Force of Nature by Brian Balmages lead adoption in this collection, both offering strong material for developing orchestras. Balmages also appears with Five Note Fiddler at the Grade 0.5 level, making him a go-to name for building early ensemble skills. Soon Hee Newbold's Gravitas serves intermediate orchestras looking for programming with musical depth beyond their technical level.

Recent additions include The Gift of Giving and Alpine Adventure, both released in June 2026. Brian Balmages and Michael Hopkins contributed new material this year, alongside classic works newly arranged for strings including Chaminade and Rossini selections and Chris M. Bernotas' Radiant Spirit for full orchestra.

Richard Meyer brings 35 years of classroom experience to his 302 titles in this collection. He grew the orchestra program at Oak Avenue Intermediate from 29 to 200 students and directed the city's elementary string program, work that shapes every piece he writes for school ensembles. His Dragonhunter has become a popular choice for intermediate groups.

Brian Balmages spans orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal facility, and his pieces have reached from elementary schools to Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Force of Nature, his bestseller here, exemplifies his gift for writing music that challenges without overwhelming developing players. He's a recipient of the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association.

Bob Phillips pioneered large-group pedagogy for strings and remains an innovator in eclectic string writing. His 159 titles include the complete Sound Innovations series, which thousands of string students use yearly, making his teaching perspective embedded directly in his compositions.

Soon Hee Newbold is known internationally for weaving cultural and ethnic styles into her work, informed by her experience as a concert artist in professional ensembles worldwide. Gravitas demonstrates her ability to write sophisticated material for school orchestras that respects both their emerging skills and artistic ambitions.