Dark Ride: Flexible Band/String Ensemble Score & Parts
By Randall D. Standridge
Grade: 1.5
Item: 98-DB1840
$65.00
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Description
A moonlit chase through a darkened forest... A haunted galop-esque character that adds to the thrill... This exciting work features dissonant harmonies, driving percussion, and optional synthesizer to create everything from an organ to voices and an eerie harpsichord. A frighteningly good choice to offer a little something different on your next concert!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Dark Ride: Flexible Band/String Ensemble 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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Additional Details
Series:
The ReImagine Initiative
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DB1840
Instrumentation:
4-Part Fully Adaptable with Percussion
More about this title
About the Composer: Randall D. Standridge
Randall D. Standridge is a composer and educator who has built a significant catalog of accessible band and ensemble works. His music is known for balancing musical substance with practical flexibility, making it valuable for educators working across varied instrumentation and skill levels.
Why we love this
Standridge delivers genuine character and harmonic interest at a grade level where many pieces settle for predictability. The optional synthesizer parts open creative possibilities for directors with access to keyboards, while the flexible instrumentation means you can perform this even when attendance fluctuates.
What to expect
Dark and propulsive, like being swept through a forest at night. The dissonant harmonies and driving rhythm create urgency and unease, while optional keyboard effects add atmospheric texture that elevates the thrill beyond typical beginner fare.
Who it's for
Beginning to early intermediate bands and string ensembles looking for a substantial concert piece with real personality. The flexible instrumentation makes it accessible to groups with incomplete sections, while the grade 1.5 difficulty keeps preparation time reasonable.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the dissonant harmonies carefully so they feel intentional rather than muddy; resist the urge to blend them into uniformity.
- Lock the percussion and lower voices together to establish the driving rhythmic foundation that propels the galop character forward.
- If using synthesizer, rehearse the keyboard parts separately first so they enhance rather than overpower the ensemble sound.
- Shape the dynamic arc across the piece to mirror the narrative of the moonlit chase, building tension through strategic crescendos.
How to use it
Program this as a contrasting centerpiece in a concert built around lighter or classical selections. Its theatrical energy and modest technical demands make it ideal for fall concerts with a themed approach, or as a showpiece to showcase your ensemble's growing harmonic sophistication.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing dissonant harmonic language
- Maintaining rhythmic precision in driving, syncopated passages
- Balancing independent melodic lines within four-part writing
- Ensemble listening across flexible instrumentation combinations
- Interpreting atmospheric dynamics and musical character in beginner-level contexts