Cabbage Countdown: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$46.00 USD

Cabbage Countdown: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Cabbage Countdown: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-22303
Price: 46.00 USD
Availability: InStock

(Variations on Bile Them Cabbage Down)

By Bob Phillips

Grade: 1

Item: 00-22303

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A refreshing and fun look at a well-known tune, Cabbage Countdown is a set of variations on the American fiddle tune "Bile Them Cabbage Down." Entertain your audience and make the kids feel cool, while using the piece to review and solidify first-year rhythm patterns. In the key of D major, each rhythmic variation is played by all sections and is easily accessible by first-year players.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Cabbage Countdown: 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 Explorer

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 72

UPC: 038081230139

SKU: 00-22303

More about this title

About the Composer: Bob Phillips

Bob Phillips (b. 1953) has spent decades reshaping how strings are taught in American schools. A conductor, pedagogue, and prolific composer, he authored the Sound Innovations series across all six levels and pioneered eclectic style publications including Fiddlers Philharmonic, Jazz Philharmonic, Rock Philharmonic, and Mariachi Philharmonic. Over 200 of his works have been published for orchestras and bands, and he is an award-winning ASCAP composer whose pieces are regularly performed at the Midwest Clinic.

For 27 years, Phillips directed the string program in Saline, Michigan, building it into a nationally recognized model with over 700 students working across classical and eclectic styles. He founded the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic, which gained international standing through annual performances exceeding 80 shows and multiple appearances at the White House and Midwest Clinic. Phillips has served as resident conductor and arranger for the Wintergrass Festival in Seattle and has conducted all-state orchestras, youth symphonies, and honor ensembles across the country.

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Why we love this

Phillips builds real teaching moments into every bar of this piece. You get a concert-quality arrangement of a tune your students already know plus a strategic tool for drilling first-year rhythm patterns; the variations layer in naturally so students experience rhythmic consolidation as musical progress, not repetition.

What to expect

Cabbage Countdown captures the infectious energy of a fiddle tune while keeping the learning curve gentle. Each variation sparkles with fresh rhythmic texture, making the piece feel like discovery rather than drill; students feel clever and engaged rather than trapped in repetition.

Who it's for

This piece is designed for first-year string orchestras ready to move beyond beginner-level exercises but still consolidating fundamental rhythms. It works equally well for concert performance and festival competition, giving young students the satisfaction of playing something their audience recognizes.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the fiddle tune character clearly in the opening phrase. This tune carries folk roots, so let the natural lilt emerge rather than forcing strict metric precision.
Rotate which sections take the melodic lead through the variations. Giving each part its moment in the spotlight keeps engagement high and reminds students they are all essential.
Lock the bow rhythms across the ensemble during the syncopated variations. Unified articulation clarifies the rhythmic patterns you are teaching.
Use the recorded accompaniment to anchor tempo and phrasing while your students build confidence with the variations.

How to use it

Program this early in a concert to build student confidence and audience connection through a recognizable folk melody. It also fits naturally into a festival set where you want to showcase solid foundational skills without overwhelming young players, or use it as a rehearsal anchor during the first semester to reinforce rhythm reading across multiple contexts.