Crepuscule: Score
By Michael Hopkins
Grade: 2
Item: 00-PR-0004553
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Description
Crepuscule is the period of partial darkness at the beginning or end of the day---in other words, twilight. The energy of the sun touches the quiet of the night. This highly energetic work in E minor opens with a perfect fifth motive that gives students plenty of opportunities to develop their intonation while hopping their finger to adjacent strings. The piece requires the use of short articulated bow strokes in the first theme. The second theme is lyrical and requires the use of slow sustained bow strokes. All sections of the orchestra are featured with challenging and interesting parts. (3:50) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Crepuscule: Score 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:
Belwin Beginning String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
144
SKU:
00-PR-0004553
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Hopkins
Michael Hopkins leads the music education program at the University of Michigan, where he teaches string techniques, orchestra methods, and the psychology of music. His career spans conducting university orchestras in Vermont and directing student ensembles across Colorado, Michigan, and Vermont. He founded the Burlington Chamber Orchestra and has guest conducted at over 100 festivals and clinics nationwide.
Hopkins has composed and arranged more than 70 published works for orchestra while contributing research and articles to peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Research in Music Education and American String Teacher. He authored The Art of String Teaching, a comprehensive pedagogy resource published by GIA Publications, drawing on decades of experience training both pre-service teachers and professional conductors.
Why we love this
Hopkins builds the entire learning arc into this piece. The opening perfect fifth motive becomes a built-in intonation workshop, while the contrast between articulated first theme and sustained second theme forces students to develop genuine bow control rather than just moving a bow across strings. Every section gets material that matters, which keeps your orchestra engaged and rehearsal time productive.
What to expect
Twilight suspended between motion and stillness. The opening radiates restless energy driven by repeated fifth-interval figures, but the second theme breathes with lyrical warmth that feels almost contemplative. The piece captures that exact moment when daylight fades into evening, the sun's lingering glow meeting the gathering darkness.
Who it's for
Grade 2 string orchestras ready to tackle genuine intonation work and bow control simultaneously. This piece belongs in programs with students who have basic bow hold and finger placement but need intensive practice on sustained tone production and precise articulation.
How to get the most out of it
- Isolate the opening perfect fifth in unison before assigning it to individual parts; have students listen to the interval relationship as they adjust finger placement on adjacent strings.
- Mark the transition between short articulated strokes and sustained legato passages in rehearsal so students understand this is not a tempo shift but a fundamental change in bow technique.
- Balance the featured sections carefully; when second theme material passes between parts, ensure the lyrical line stays prominent while accompanimental voices stay supportive.
How to use it
Schedule this for a spring concert where it can anchor the first half with its bright, energetic opening statement, then use the sustained second theme to bridge toward slower repertoire. Its 3:50 length makes it ideal for festival competition or as a standalone showcase for your orchestra's technical progress.
Skills your students will build
- Playing perfect fifth intervals with accurate intonation across adjacent strings
- Executing short, articulated detaché bow strokes with rhythmic precision
- Sustaining long bow strokes with consistent tone quality and dynamic control
- Balancing as a full orchestra while featured sections rotate through the ensemble
- Reading and performing in E minor tonality