Avalanche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$48.00 USD

Avalanche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Avalanche: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-24948
Price: 48.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Michael Hopkins

Grade: 1.5

Item: 00-24948

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Avalanche is an expressive and energetic original composition for beginning orchestra that is also a wonderful teaching piece for bow distribution, lifts, retakes, and string crossing. The 'avalanche' motifs feature descending octave leaps and descending scale patterns that make string crossings accessible to beginners. Violins and violas make frequent use of the 4th finger. The piece is a great introduction to B-flat, C and F naturals to modulate from D major to D minor. All parts are playable in first position (some half position for bass), and there are no cello extensions or high 3rd fingers for violin or viola. (2:40)

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Series: Highland/Etling String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 124

UPC: 038081271194

SKU: 00-24948

More about this title

About the Composer: Michael Hopkins

Michael Hopkins directs the music education program at the University of Michigan, where he teaches string techniques, orchestra methods, and courses on music psychology and research. His background includes conducting the University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra and directing school orchestras across Colorado, Michigan, and Vermont; he also founded the Burlington Chamber Orchestra and has guest conducted at over 100 festivals and clinics nationwide.

Hopkins has presented more than 60 workshops at national and state conferences on string pedagogy and music technology, and his published scholarship appears in the Journal of Research in Music Education, the Music Educators' Journal, American String Teacher, and other peer-reviewed outlets. He is author of The Art of String Teaching (GIA Publications), a foundational resource for string teachers at all levels, and has composed and arranged over 70 works for orchestra.

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Why we love this

Hopkins built this piece from the ground up with beginning orchestras in mind. The descending octave leaps and scale patterns that create the avalanche character give you a built-in vehicle for teaching bow distribution, lifts, and retakes without sounding pedagogical or disconnected from the musical narrative.

What to expect

Avalanche moves with purpose and momentum. The descending figures create a sense of inevitable motion, like snow gathering speed down a mountainside, while the harmonic journey from D major to D minor gives the piece an emotional arc that feels genuine rather than merely illustrative. It's energetic but never frantic.

Who it's for

Beginning orchestra ensembles (Grade 1.5) ready to tackle more expressive repertoire and formal bow technique. This works for middle school orchestras or first-year high school groups that need a piece that teaches something substantial without overwhelming their technical range.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the avalanche motifs by controlling bow speed and pressure through the descending figures; resist the urge to rush as the notes tumble downward.
Work bow lifts and retakes as isolated technical exercises first, then layer them back into the full sound so students feel the musical purpose of each gesture.
Isolate string crossings in rehearsal using only the descending scale patterns before rehearsing with tempo, allowing beginners to build confidence without the pressure of maintaining pulse.
Encourage violins and violas to find the 4th finger position early and return to it frequently throughout the piece so it becomes automatic rather than a reach.

How to use it

Program this as a feature piece on a concert where you want to showcase your beginning orchestra's growth in bow control and expressive playing. It pairs well alongside a lyrical piece and a more technical etude-style work to show range across the same ensemble.