A French Noel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$46.00 USD

A French Noel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: A French Noel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-24938
Price: 46.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Traditional / arr. Mark Williams

Grade: 1

Item: 00-24938

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This arrangement is a simple, yet rich presentation of the French carol "Noel Nouvelet," often known to English-speaking audiences as "Sing We Now of Christmas." Utilizing only the notes of a one-octave D major scale plus open strings and 4th-finger E on the A string, this beautiful selection is accessible to very young orchestras. Correlated with Strictly Strings, Book 1, page 24, this beautiful carol in the Dorian mode will make your young string students sound mature beyond their years! A highly recommended choice for your next winter concert.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A French Noel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: Highland/Etling Strictly Strings

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 72

UPC: 038081282688

SKU: 00-24938

More about this title

About the Arranger: Mark Williams

Mark Williams built his reputation as a prolific composer and arranger for school ensembles, eventually publishing over 200 works for band, orchestra, and choir. He co-authored the Accent on Achievement Band Method and traveled extensively as a clinician and guest conductor throughout North America and Australia, bringing his expertise to music programs across 34 states, 5 Canadian provinces, and beyond.

Based in Washington State for much of his career, Williams earned recognition through numerous awards including the Western International Band Clinic's Gralia Competition and multiple ASCAP Special Awards. He held degrees from Eastern Washington University, performed professionally on bassoon, and served as conductor and artistic director for the Spokane British Brass Band while maintaining an active schedule of composition and arrangement work.

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Why we love this

Williams has crafted an arrangement that respects the limitations of developing musicians while delivering genuine musical satisfaction. Young players hear themselves making beautiful, mature-sounding music immediately, which builds confidence and reinforces why they want to play in an orchestra. The Dorian mode gives the familiar carol a subtle sophistication that feels special without demanding technical virtuosity.

What to expect

Warm, gentle, and genuinely elegant despite its simplicity. The Dorian coloring lends a timeless quality to a beloved carol, while the restricted pitch vocabulary lets young musicians focus on tone, intonation, and ensemble balance rather than technical survival. The result is a performance that sounds far more assured than the players' experience level suggests.

Who it's for

Grade 1 string orchestras and classroom orchestras with beginners through early elementary players. This works equally well for young private studio orchestras, community youth orchestras, and school programs introducing students to ensemble playing.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the melody between first and second violins by adjusting dynamic response during rehearsal; this carol works best when the primary line sings clearly without drowning out the harmonic foundation.
Maintain steady eighth-note pulse in the accompaniment figures to anchor the whole group, especially in passages where younger players may rush or drag.
Shape the phrasing in four-bar units rather than playing it all at one dynamic level; subtle crescendos and releases will help the arrangement breathe and prevent monotony.

How to use it

This is an ideal anchor piece for a winter concert, pairing naturally with other carols at different grade levels or standing beautifully as a brief set opener that sets a festive, graceful mood. Its correlation with Strictly Strings Book 1 makes it a natural fit if your orchestra is working through that method, allowing students to perform repertoire tied directly to their daily studies.