Carousel: Violin Educational Pack
By Bob Phillips
Grade: 0.5
Item: 00-PC-0017839_VN_EDPAK
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Description
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: Violin Educational Pack 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:
Sound Innovations for String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
74
SKU:
00-PC-0017839_VN_EDPAK
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips is a composer and pedagogue who has shaped string education through innovative repertoire and large-group teaching practices. Since the 1980s, he has authored the complete Sound Innovations series and pioneering collections like Fiddlers Philharmonic, Jazz Philharmonic, and Rock Philharmonic, establishing himself as a leader in eclectic string styles. Over 200 of his works have been published for orchestras and bands, and he is an award-winning ASCAP composer whose pieces are performed regularly at the Midwest Clinic.
For 27 years, Phillips built the Saline, Michigan string program into a national model with more than 700 students performing classical and contemporary styles. He founded the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic, which performed more than 80 shows annually and appeared multiple times at the White House and the Midwest Clinic. Phillips has served as conductor for youth orchestras, all-state ensembles, and summer programs across the country, including positions at Interlochen and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
Why we love this
Carousel captures the exact sweet spot for early string ensembles: musically engaging without technical overreach. The waltz style gives students a recognizable form while the restricted string crossings keep fingerings manageable, allowing young players to focus on tone, intonation, and ensemble balance rather than wrestling with unfamiliar positions.
What to expect
The piece evokes the hypnotic, circular motion of a carousel in motion. Gentle waves of melody roll across the ensemble as horses glide smoothly up and down, creating a sense of nostalgic, dreamlike continuity.
Who it's for
Carousel suits beginning string students finishing their first year or solidifying fundamentals at early intermediate stages. Its direct correlation with Sound Innovations Book 1, Level 5 makes it a natural choice for curricula already built around that series.
How to get the most out of it
- Maintain consistent bow contact and pressure throughout the steady eighth-note accompaniment figures so the main melody line can soar without rhythmic hiccups.
- Work the dynamic shape of the melodic phrases separately from the rhythmic framework, then combine them to avoid flatness in otherwise straightforward accompaniment parts.
- Use the doubled parts (violin 2 with viola, cello with bass) as a check on balance; if doublings sound like one voice rather than two, adjust bow speed and vibrato to blend.
- Establish a clear sense of waltz pulse early in rehearsals so students feel the three-beat lilt rather than mechanically counting each beat.
How to use it
Program Carousel on a winter or spring concert where young ensembles need a crowd-pleasing centerpiece that builds confidence without demanding technical pyrotechnics. Its accessible energy and clear programmatic title make it equally effective as a festival entry or a bridge piece in a mixed-level concert pairing beginning groups with more advanced ensembles.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining consistent tone across D and A strings
- Playing in D Major and G Major with confident intonation
- Shaping melodic phrases while maintaining rhythmic accuracy
- Balancing doubled parts (violin 2 and viola, cello and bass)
- Reading and responding to basic dynamic markings
- Maintaining steady pulse in triple meter