PerformancePlus+ Orchestra

Teachers keep coming back to River Song by Richard Meyer (Grade 3), which resonates across programs year after year. Cooper Ford's Anticipation (Grade 2) and Michael Hopkins's Lake of the Clouds (Grade 3) follow close behind as reliable choices for mid-level orchestras. Patrick Roszell's New Beginnings (Grade 1.5) fills a real need for younger ensembles ready to move beyond the most basic literature.

Richard Meyer brings 35 years of public school string teaching to this work, including 22 years directing orchestras at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in California, where he grew the program from 29 students to 200. His River Song sits at the top of the collection for good reason: it reflects a career spent understanding what works in the classroom.

Cooper Ford studied violin and trumpet as a young musician in New Jersey before earning degrees in music education from The College of New Jersey and the University of Florida. He now directs orchestras at North Brunswick Township High School, and his Anticipation draws on that direct experience with student ensembles.

Bob Phillips has authored over 25 book series for classroom use and remains a recognized innovator in string pedagogy and large group teaching. His work here represents decades of thinking about how students actually learn orchestral repertoire.

Michael Hopkins is Professor and Chair of Music Education at the University of Michigan, where he teaches string techniques and orchestra methods. Before joining U-M, he directed orchestras at the middle and high school level across Colorado, Michigan, and Vermont, grounding his compositions in real rehearsal room needs.