Blue Heron: String Orchestra Conductor Score

$6.00 USD

Blue Heron: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Name: Blue Heron: String Orchestra Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-24936S
Price: 6.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Edmund J. Siennicki

Grade: 2

Item: 00-24936S

$6.00

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One moment…

Imagine the stately bird, the blue heron, in the marshes along Lake Erie. When standing on one leg in the water, the bird is visible to the careful observer, yet their large wingspan makes them majestic flyers. This piece calls for a moderate tempo. After the short introduction, the next 16 measures are played piano, mezzo forte and forte. This is followed by two versions with variations. All players get to play the melody and bowings and dynamics make the music more interesting for the audience and performers as the piece comes to a loud ending.

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Series: Highland/Etling Strictly Strings

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

UPC: 038081275895

SKU: 00-24936S

More about this title

About the Composer: Edmund J. Siennicki

Edmund J. Siennicki grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where a chance meeting with pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski at age 12 shaped his artistic direction. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Kent State University, where he composed the school's fight song (still performed at football games today), and later completed his MA at Teachers College, Columbia University. His composition studies included work with Herbert Elwell and Vincent Persichetti, alongside exploration of electronic music with Sergio Barroso.

Siennicki's professional life balanced performance and composition; he performed as a bassoonist and pianist while building a prolific catalog of approximately 200 published works. His compositions have won recognition in National School Orchestra contests, and he received two residencies at the MacDowell Colony. For two decades he has received annual awards from ASCAP. Though his teaching career centered in Cleveland's junior high schools, he also served on the faculty at Michigan and Kent State University. He continues composing and visiting schools as a clinician.

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Why we love this

Siennicki writes with genuine understanding of developing string players; this piece trusts Grade 2 orchestras with real musical responsibility while building confidence through shared melodic material. The economic orchestration ensures every section has engaging work, and the programmatic hook of the blue heron catches students' attention without overshadowing the actual musical content.

What to expect

Patient and observant, like watching a blue heron hold its stance in shallow water. The music unfolds with quiet dignity before building to bold flight, with straightforward orchestration that lets young string players hear themselves creating something genuinely musical.

Who it's for

Grade 2 string orchestras preparing for contests, festivals, or concert programs that value accessible repertoire with artistic substance. This score works equally well for conductors seeking pieces that challenge developing musicians without exceeding their technical reach.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the piano and mezzo forte passages with careful dynamic control during those opening 16 measures; this restraint makes the fortissimo sections that follow feel genuinely climactic.
Draw out the contrast between the two variations by encouraging slight adjustments in articulation and bow pressure, letting each version feel distinct rather than repetitive.
Balance the melody across all parts as players trade the main line; use rehearsal time to make sure every section owns their statement with confidence and consistent tone.

How to use it

Use this as an opener or mid-program piece on a concert that mixes standard repertoire with composer showcases; its moderate length and contest designation make it ideal for spring festivals. The programmatic imagery also works well in educational presentations where you want to connect music to nature or highlight how young orchestras can bring poetic ideas to life.

Skills your students will build

Sustaining consistent tone across long phrases at various dynamic levels
Balancing individual melodic responsibility with ensemble blend
Executing contrasting articulations and bow techniques (dynamics and bowings as notated)
Following structural form through introduction and two distinct variations
Building musical shape through carefully controlled crescendos to the final fortissimo