Belwin Beginning String Orchestra Kit #5: 1st Violin
A Complete Concert Including: German Song / Adagio / Allegro
By Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / arr. Bob Cerulli
Grade: 2.5
Item: 00-PC-0001709_VN1
$5.99
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Description
A complete concert in one set or three smaller gems! Kit 5 includes German Song by Tchaikovsky and Adagio and Allegro, both by Mozart. Be sure to check out Kits 1--4! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Belwin Beginning String Orchestra Kit #5: 1st Violin comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Beginning String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
144
SKU:
00-PC-0001709_VN1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Bob Cerulli
Bob Cerulli studied double bass at the Curtis Institute of Music under Roger Scott, then earned degrees in music education from the University of the Arts and conducting from the College of New Jersey. His orchestral experience spans the Buffalo Philharmonic and principal bass positions with several regional ensembles, alongside freelance work in Philadelphia and Atlantic City with Broadway performers and composers including Henry Mancini, Bill Conte, and Michel LeGrand.
Cerulli spent 29 years in public school music education and has conducted orchestral performances and reading sessions at regional festivals. His own compositions include Celebration, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Romance in D Major for cello and piano. He currently serves as Senior Adjunct Professor at Rowan College at Burlington County.
Why we love this
Cerulli's arrangements respect the integrity of these beloved masterworks while meeting the technical and musical needs of young string players. The pairing of three contrasting pieces gives you programming flexibility: use the full kit for a substantial concert or select individual pieces to fit your rehearsal time and ensemble strength. His conducting experience with professional orchestras means these arrangements balance accessibility with genuine orchestral sonority.
What to expect
These arrangements capture the elegance and clarity of the originals. The German Song carries quiet warmth and introspection, while the Mozart pieces sparkle with Classical precision and lyrical grace. Young musicians will recognize these as "real" music, not simplified exercises, yet find themselves capable of bringing them to life.
Who it's for
String orchestras in grades 2 and up who want to program established masterworks without excessive technical demands. This kit suits ensembles preparing for concerts or festivals and teachers seeking variety within a single rehearsal block.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the German Song with long, singing phrases. Young players often rush when they're comfortable with the notes; encourage them to breathe with the melody and think of the work as a whole statement rather than individual passages.
- Balance the four voices carefully in the Mozart movements, especially when lower strings support the melody. Have violas and cellos play with presence so the harmonic foundation doesn't disappear beneath the violins.
- Use the three-piece format to rehearse one complete work per week if time is tight. This prevents the kit from becoming scattered and gives each piece the focused preparation it deserves.
How to use it
Open a spring concert with the three-piece suite to showcase the range of your ensemble, or use individual selections to build a thematic program around Baroque and Classical composers. These works also fit well in a chamber music or pops concert context when you need substantial repertoire without the length of a full symphony.
Skills your students will build
- Playing sustained melodic lines with consistent tone quality
- Balancing part writing across four voices in a harmonic texture
- Understanding phrase structure and musical phrasing across longer forms
- Reading standard orchestration for strings (SATB layout)
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion in pieces with multiple independent melodic lines