Chicken Cha Cha: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Chicken Cha Cha: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Chicken Cha Cha: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-50250185
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Thom Sharp

Grade: 3

Item: 36-50250185

$50.00

Shipped

One moment…

Chicken Cha Cha for string orchestra delightfully expresses a day in the life of a chicken, including the creative musical description of running in the coop via dissonant eighth notes. All instruments have interesting parts to play, representing different birds dancing the Chicken Cha Cha. Through staccato notes, dynamics, grace notes, precision counting, scales, call-and-response, and a legato passage, Thom Sharp's creative Chicken Cha Cha provides a fun level 3 piece to reinforce orchestral technique. (3:00)

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Chicken Cha Cha

Series: LudwigMasters Concert Strings

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

UPC: 735816196868

SKU: 36-50250185

Instrumentation: String Orchestra, Ensemble Works

More about this title

Why we love this

Sharp writes with genuine affection for young orchestras, crafting pieces that demand real musicianship without pretension. The orchestration here ensures every section has something to do, which keeps engagement high and eliminates the passive player problem that plagues many novelty pieces at this level.

What to expect

A barnyard unfolds in real time. The opening evokes the bustle and personality of individual chickens, complete with the chaotic clucking and scratching captured in those dissonant runs. When the ensemble locks into the rhythmic cha-cha sections, there's genuine joy in the synchronization; the legato passage offers a quieter, almost reflective moment before the coop erupts again.

Who it's for

String orchestras working at Grade 3 who need a piece that entertains an audience without sacrificing pedagogical substance. This works equally well for directors building concert programs that include family-friendly repertoire or for students encountering novelty writing that still demands real orchestral technique.

How to get the most out of it

Isolate the dissonant eighth-note figures in rehearsal before putting them in tempo. These represent the running chickens and need clarity; students should hear them as intentional musical texture, not mistakes.
Work the staccato articulation separately from rhythmic precision. A common trap is sacrificing tone quality for shortness; encourage a clean attack followed by immediate lift, not a hack at the note.
The call-and-response sections benefit from sectional stereo. Place first violins or violas on one side and have a different section answer from the other side of the stage. This spatial separation makes the dialogue pop without requiring a louder dynamic.
Treat the legato passage with deliberate tempo control. After the rhythmic energy of the cha-cha sections, this moment can feel like a breath; make sure it's intentional phrasing, not a drag.

How to use it

Program this early in a concert to set a warm, approachable tone. It pairs well with a more serious opening work by another composer and signals to the audience that this ensemble has range. At three minutes, it also works as a palate cleanser between heavier pieces or as a finale if you want to leave the crowd smiling.