Desert Sands: String Orchestra Conductor Score

$10.00 USD

Desert Sands: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Name: Desert Sands: String Orchestra Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-ST6160S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Soon Hee Newbold

Grade: 1.5

Item: 98-ST6160S

$10.00

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A unique and colorful piece for this level, Desert Sands introduces limited low first and second fingers to beginning players. The result is a fun, ethnic sounding piece accessible to young orchestras as they imagine caravans traveling across the desert.

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Series: FJH Beginning Strings

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444555644

SKU: 98-ST6160S

More about this title

About the Composer: Soon Hee Newbold

Soon Hee Newbold draws on her global experiences as a performer and conductor to craft music that speaks across cultures and skill levels. She began her musical training at five on piano and took up violin at seven, eventually performing as a concert artist in professional ensembles worldwide. Her compositions have been heard at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center, performed by groups ranging from professional symphonies to elementary beginning orchestras.

Newbold's work extends beyond the concert hall into film and media composition in Hollywood. She maintains an active schedule as a guest clinician and keynote speaker, bringing her expertise to orchestras and bands throughout the United States and internationally, including ensembles in the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and China.

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Why we love this

Newbold captures an authentic ethnic flavor without requiring your young players to navigate awkward fingering patterns or reach beyond their technical grasp. The piece lets beginning violinists and violists actually feel like they're making music that sounds sophisticated and intentional, not just drilling techniques. It's the kind of writing that reminds students why they wanted to play in an orchestra in the first place.

What to expect

Desert Sands evokes the rhythm of travel across vast, open landscapes. The ethnic harmonic language creates an atmosphere of intrigue and adventure, transporting the ensemble and audience beyond the rehearsal room into a world of caravans and golden dunes.

Who it's for

Beginning string orchestras working at Grade 1.5 will find this piece both accessible and rewarding. It suits students who are building confidence with extended finger positions but aren't ready for complex shifted passages or wide intervallic leaps.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the rhythmic groove early in rehearsals. The piece relies on a steady pulse, so lock the foundation before layering melodic details.
Encourage players to imagine the visual landscape as they perform. This mental anchor helps unify phrasing across the ensemble and adds expressive intention.
Balance the harmonic colors carefully. With limited first and second finger positions, each voice's harmonic contribution matters; don't let any section blur into background accompaniment.
Attend to intonation around the limited finger positions. Young players often squeeze tension into these new placements, so warmups targeting relaxation in the hand will pay dividends.

How to use it

Schedule this as a mid-season piece when your orchestra has solidified basic ensemble skills but still benefits from repertoire that reinforces foundational technique. Its colorful character and accessible orchestration make it an excellent choice for spring concerts alongside more traditional selections, or as a standalone piece for young audience concerts where the descriptive title and musical imagery engage listeners of all ages.