Chicken in the Kitchen: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$55.00 USD

Chicken in the Kitchen: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Chicken in the Kitchen: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-ST6056
Price: 55.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Keith Sharp

Grade: 1

Item: 98-ST6056

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The perfect change of pace for your next concert! This novel piece includes vocal "books" from the ensemble to help create the sound of a bewildered chicken running around the kitchen with an angry chef.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Chicken in the Kitchen: 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: FJH Beginning Strings

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 674398213948

SKU: 98-ST6056

More about this title

About the Composer: Keith Sharp

Keith Sharp has shaped string education across Brisbane's school system for nearly four decades, starting in 1985 at regional schools and moving to Brisbane State High School in 2012. His teaching philosophy emphasizes ensemble work and group instruction, and he channels that classroom experience directly into his compositions. Sharp has earned multiple recognitions for his contributions to music education, including the AUSTA State Award and two prestigious educator honors from his home state.

His catalog of works for young string players has circulated internationally and earned repeated "Editor's Choice" selections in major music catalogs. Sharp remains active as a guest clinician and conductor at schools and music camps, and he co-authored the widely used Encore on Strings series. His published works appear through Alfred Music and FJH Music Company.

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Why we love this

Grade 1 students rarely encounter novelty pieces written with this much musical intelligence. Sharp builds comedic timing through inventive orchestration and the vocal "books" that let the ensemble itself become part of the joke, making this as rewarding for young musicians to perform as it is for audiences to hear. The piece respects beginners while delivering genuine entertainment value.

What to expect

Imagine the chaos of a kitchen suddenly invaded by a panicked bird: sharp, unpredictable movement; rising tension; moments of absurd clarity beneath the madness. The music captures that frenetic energy while remaining accessible enough for young players to execute with confidence and charm.

Who it's for

Grade 1 string orchestras looking for a piece that breaks up a traditional concert program without sacrificing musical substance. Students at this level need moments of joy and play in their repertoire, and this delivers both while teaching them to commit to character and coordinate as an ensemble.

How to get the most out of it

Encourage the students to commit fully to the vocal parts without self-consciousness. The comedy lands hardest when the ensemble plays it straight.
Work the rhythm of the chicken's "movements" clearly in rehearsal so the ensemble can stay locked together during the chaotic sections.
Balance the narrative arc: start with controlled musicality, let tension build, and peak at the moment of maximum chicken pandemonium before the resolution.

How to use it

Place this after an opening concert piece to shift the mood and reset audience energy. It works beautifully as a closing selection before a final, more substantial work, or as the highlight of a family concert where younger siblings and parents can laugh along. Many festival programs welcome novelty pieces at the intermediate level, and this one will stand out.