Carousel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$46.00 USD

Carousel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Carousel: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-46704
Price: 46.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Bob Phillips

Grade: 0.5

Item: 00-46704

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Written in a flowing waltz style, this piece depicts the non-stop motion of an old-fashioned carousel going round and round with horses smoothly gliding up and down. In the keys of D Major and G Major, this is a perfect piece for first year players as all fingered notes occur on the D and A strings (D and G for bass). The violin 2 and viola parts are doubled, as are the cello and bass parts. Correlated with Sound Innovations Book 1, Level 5, "Carousel" by Bob Phillips is easily accessible by beginners and advancing students alike.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Carousel: 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: Sound Innovations for String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 74

UPC: 038081536996

SKU: 00-46704

More about this title

About the Composer: Bob Phillips

Bob Phillips has spent decades shaping string education through both pedagogy and composition. Since 1953, he has authored over 25 instructional book series (including all six levels of Sound Innovations) and published more than 200 works for orchestras and bands, earning recognition as an ASCAP award-winning composer whose pieces are regularly performed at the Midwest Clinic.

For 27 years, Phillips built the string program in Saline, Michigan into a nationally recognized model, ultimately growing it to over 700 students. His work spans multiple styles: classical training alongside the Fiddlers Philharmonic, Jazz Philharmonic, Rock Philharmonic, Mariachi Philharmonic, and Latin Philharmonic ensembles. He has conducted all-state orchestras across the country, served as resident conductor for Seattle's Wintergrass Festival for 12 years, and led the professional ensemble Barrage 8 as assistant music director and arranger.

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Why we love this

Carousel captures everything that makes beginning string orchestras shine: the piece moves with genuine musicality rather than feeling like an exercise, and the programmatic carousel concept gives students something concrete to visualize and interpret. Keeping all fingerings on D and A strings removes technical obstacles, so players can focus entirely on producing a warm, singing tone and maintaining the smooth, rolling motion that defines the piece.

What to expect

The piece evokes the hypnotic, rhythmic flow of a carnival ride in motion. Steady and buoyant, it paints a vivid picture of wooden horses rising and falling in sync, with the melody gliding smoothly while the accompaniment churns beneath with gentle, persistent energy.

Who it's for

First-year string players who have solidified basic bow control and first-position intonation will thrive with this piece. It works equally well for advancing students seeking accessible concert repertoire that develops phrasing and ensemble balance without stretching into higher positions or complex rhythms.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the waltz rhythm so the downbeats feel light and lilting rather than heavy; imagine the up-and-down glide of carousel horses, not a march.
Balance the doubled parts carefully: violin 2 and viola should blend as one voice, and cello and bass should sit together in the lower register without overwhelming the melody.
Use the two-key structure (D Major and G Major) as a natural opportunity to refresh energy and tone as the carousel gains momentum in the modulation.

How to use it

Program Carousel early in a spring concert as an engaging opener that builds audience connection through its descriptive character. It also serves as an ideal festival or contest selection for groups still building repertoire confidence, since its accessibility allows conductors to spend rehearsal time on ensemble sound and musical interpretation rather than technical problem-solving.