A la Media Noche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$49.00 USD

A la Media Noche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: A la Media Noche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-38489
Price: 49.00 USD
Availability: InStock

(At Midnight)

Puerto Rican Carol / arr. Bob Lipton

Grade: 2

Item: 00-38489

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Celebrate the holiday season with this fiery and exciting traditional Puerto Rican carol. This very playable arrangement is a perfect concert opener or closer that will have your audiences dancing in the aisles.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A la Media Noche: 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 String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 124

UPC: 038081434698

SKU: 00-38489

More about this title

About the Arranger: Bob Lipton

Bob Lipton holds a B.M. in music education from San Francisco State University and has spent nearly two decades teaching orchestra and band to middle school students in Silicon Valley. His performance resume spans orchestral work with ensembles across Northern California (San Jose, Oakland, Napa, Monterey, and Berkeley symphonies) as well as touring brass work with the Colombia Artists Bel Canto and performances at major festivals including the San Francisco and Frankfurt Jazz festivals.

Beyond the classroom, Lipton maintains an active arranging practice focused on school ensembles and brass quintet literature. His background as a tuba player informs both his orchestration choices and his deep understanding of what student musicians can achieve at each level.

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Why we love this

This arrangement captures the energy of a traditional Puerto Rican carol without overwhelming young players; Grade 2 accessibility combined with genuine musical excitement is rare. The fiery character and Latin rhythmic drive will engage your orchestra in a way that many seasonal selections don't, making it equally effective as an opening statement or a closing flourish that leaves audiences eager for more.

What to expect

Bright, propulsive, and celebratory. The traditional melody carries warmth and familiarity, while the Latin rhythmic framework keeps the energy moving forward. You'll feel the urge to move along with it from the first downbeat.

Who it's for

String orchestra directors looking for winter repertoire that combines accessibility with genuine theatrical impact. This works for middle school orchestras and advanced elementary ensembles that have solid intonation and basic rhythmic independence but aren't yet ready for complex harmonic textures.

How to get the most out of it

Lock in the Latin rhythms early in rehearsals by isolating the percussion and bass line; once your foundation is solid, layer in the melodic voices so everyone can feel where the pulse sits.
Shape the dynamic contours to highlight the carol's natural peaks rather than playing straight through; this builds momentum and helps the piece feel less like a "holiday obligation" and more like a celebration.
Balance the violin lines so that passing phrases don't obscure the main melody; with Grade 2 writing, clarity of intent makes the difference between playable and truly musical.

How to use it

Open a winter concert with this piece to set an immediate festive tone, or place it near the end of your program as a closer that sends audiences out in a joyful mood. The fiery character also makes it an engaging stand-alone opener for a holiday pops concert or school assembly performance.

Skills your students will build

Latin rhythm patterns and syncopation (particularly in the accompaniment figures)
Melodic phrasing within a traditional carol context
Balance between sustained harmonic voices and rhythmic accompaniment
Reading multiple time signatures and dynamic changes at a Grade 2 level