Dance of the Bowless Basses: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Dance of the Bowless Basses: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Dance of the Bowless Basses: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-49461
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

String Bass Section Feature

By Bob Phillips

Grade: 1

Item: 00-49461

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A cute, pedagogically-based (get it?), first-year bass section feature, this piece will be fun and is sure to make your beginners sound fabulous. This piece is in first position for all players except basses. Basses shift up to C and D on the G string and only play pizzicato. Continuing Bob Phillips' tradition of bass section features, Dance of the Bowless Basses is sure to become an integral part of your standard repertoire! Correlated to Sound Innovations, Book 1, Level 5. (2:00) 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, Dance of the Bowless Basses: 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

ISBN10: 1-4706-5028-2

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5028-5

UPC: 038081571065

SKU: 00-49461

More about this title

About the Composer: Bob Phillips

Bob Phillips has spent decades shaping string education through composition and pedagogy. Since 1953, he has authored over 25 classroom 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 reach thousands of student musicians annually.

Phillips built the string program in Saline, Michigan into a national model of excellence across 27 years, serving students in both classical and eclectic styles. He founded the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic, which became known internationally, and has guest conducted at all-state orchestras, youth symphonies, and prestigious festivals including Interlochen, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Wintergrass Festival in Seattle.

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Why we love this

Phillips understands exactly what beginning bass players need to succeed. This feature gives your most junior section members a chance to shine while keeping the technical demands manageable (first position for everyone except basses, who stay in the safe zone of pizzicato on the G string). The pizzicato-only writing keeps early basses engaged without exposing them to the bow control challenges that often derail confidence at this stage.

What to expect

Lighthearted and playful, with the basses driving a bouncy pizzicato pulse that feels both jaunty and entirely manageable. The piece has warmth and humor (the pun in the title lands) while maintaining genuine musicianship and care for what young players can handle.

Who it's for

First-year string orchestra students who have just completed Book 1 of Sound Innovations and are ready for their first group feature. Bass players benefit most directly, but the full ensemble will enjoy supporting a section that typically plays accompaniment roles.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the bass pizzicato articulation carefully so the rhythmic pulse reads clearly without drowning out the rest of the section; work pizzicato definition before rehearsing the full ensemble.
Let the basses own their feature moment by bringing them forward slightly in the mix during tutti passages, then pulling back when the rest of the orchestra has sustained material.
Keep the tempo steady and light; a crisp tempo locks the pizzicato groove and prevents it from dragging, especially in the left hand of young string players.
Highlight the shift to C and D on the G string as a technical milestone worth celebrating; mark the shift points clearly in parts and practice them as a section before putting it in context.

How to use it

Schedule this early in the concert to build momentum and give your bass section an immediate confidence boost in front of an audience. It pairs well with other first-year features and lighter repertoire, and works especially effectively on a concert that celebrates the breadth of your ensemble.