A Chameleon Concerto: String Orchestra Conductor Score

$12.00 USD

A Chameleon Concerto: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Name: A Chameleon Concerto: String Orchestra Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-49936S
Price: 12.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 3

Item: 00-49936S

$12.00

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Give your young string orchestra a chance to learn the all-important skills needed to accompany a soloist with this compact, one-movement work that features a soloist playing ANY string or band instrument: oboe, viola, tuba---you name it! A Chameleon Concerto, by Richard Meyer, has catchy melodies that explore various moods. The constant give-and-take between the soloist and strings keeps every section of your group active. There is even a short cadenza toward the end of the piece to offer everyone on stage a complete concerto learning experience. (4:40)

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Series: Highland/Etling String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-5775-9

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5775-8

UPC: 038081575612

SKU: 00-49936S

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer brings three decades of classroom experience to his work as a composer and educator. He spent 35 years teaching strings across elementary, middle, and high school levels, and directed the orchestras at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California for 22 years, expanding the program from 29 students to 200. He also oversaw the city's elementary string curriculum and served as music director of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, leading ensembles on international tours to Vienna, Australia, Canada, and the East Coast.

Meyer's commitment to music's social impact shaped initiatives like the "Giving Bach" program, which uses interactive concerts to reach students with special needs and in underserved communities throughout Southern California. As a published composer with nearly 200 works in print, he has also served as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company and co-authored the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings. He has presented at the A.S.T.A. National Conference, the Texas Orchestra Directors' Association Conference, and clinics at Ohio State University and other major venues.

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Why we love this

The brilliance here is the flexibility: any soloist from your program can step forward, whether they play oboe, viola, tuba, or any other instrument. Meyer's writing ensures the orchestra stays engaged throughout, with conversational phrases that keep every player invested in supporting the soloist rather than providing accompaniment from the sidelines. The cadenza gives students a genuine concerto experience without requiring advanced technical demands.

What to expect

Engaging and conversational, the piece dances between the soloist's melodic ideas and the orchestra's supportive textures. Moods shift throughout the single movement, keeping both audience and players alert, while the writing itself feels natural and accessible rather than mechanical.

Who it's for

Directors of young string orchestras seeking a piece that teaches collaborative playing and the important skill of accompanying a soloist. This work works equally well for solo festivals, spring concerts, or as a teaching tool for building ensemble sensitivity and balance.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the dialogue between soloist and orchestra by having sections mark dynamic cues related to the solo line; when the soloist enters, strings should pull back slightly to create space.
Rehearse the soloist separately with a single stand partner or small section first to establish the musical conversation, then gradually add full ensemble texture.
Shape phrases across the give-and-take moments rather than treating section boundaries as hard stops; think of the piece as one continuous musical conversation.
Give the cadenza its own rehearsal focus: make sure the soloist knows exactly where the orchestra re-enters and that strings listen carefully for the pickup cue.

How to use it

Program this alongside other solo and ensemble features to highlight different soloists across the year, or use it as a festival piece where students learn accompaniment technique alongside performance opportunity. The compact one-movement form and manageable length (4:40) make it suitable as a mid-concert feature that showcases individual talent within an ensemble context.