Dog Dreams: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$40.00 USD

Dog Dreams: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Dog Dreams: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-ST6259
Price: 40.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Bob Lipton

Grade: 1

Item: 98-ST6259

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Experience the lazy days of summer in this cute original based on the wandering thoughts of "man's best friend." This all-pizzicato work is based entirely on a one octave D major scale, so students can focus on left hand technique. No barking in this one - just another day in the life of a slightly crazy, but sweet companion!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Dog Dreams: 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: 674398228942

SKU: 98-ST6259

More about this title

About the Composer: Bob Lipton

Bob Lipton holds a B.M. in music education from San Francisco State University and has spent nearly two decades teaching middle school orchestra and band in Silicon Valley. His performance background spans symphonic work with ensembles throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, including performances with the San Jose, Oakland, Napa, Monterey, and Berkeley symphonies.

As a tuba player, Lipton has appeared at major jazz festivals and performed with touring brass ensembles, including a stint with the Colombia Artists Bel Canto Brass. His arrangement and composition work reaches across genres, from string orchestra and band literature for school ensembles to brass quintet writing. This range of performance and compositional experience informs his skill at writing accessible, engaging music for developing musicians.

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Why we love this

Lipton's constraint here becomes the gift: by building the entire piece from a single D major octave and removing all pizzicato variation, he forces students into genuine left hand work. You get a novelty with genuine pedagogical backbone. The humor lands without sacrificing the focus you need at Grade 1.

What to expect

Summer lethargy captured in pizzicato: the piece meanders like a dog drifting from thought to thought on a warm afternoon. There's a gentle, almost hypnotic quality to the all-pizzicato texture, with quirky moments that hint at a slightly eccentric canine personality without ever breaking into literal dog sounds.

Who it's for

String orchestras at the beginning levels (Grade 1) who are ready to move beyond open string etudes but still need focused technical work. Directors seeking a novelty that earns its place through actual skill building, not just charm.

How to get the most out of it

Establish a steady left hand rhythm in early rehearsals by tapping the pizzicato pattern on open strings before adding the D major scale pitches.
Record a section rehearsal of just the string parts and play it back during conductor score study; this helps students hear how their individual line fits the larger texture.
Experiment with dynamics to shape each "dream sequence." The all-pizzicato texture makes subtle dynamic changes especially effective for maintaining interest.
Have students mark their D major scale fingerings in pencil on the parts before the first full ensemble run-through.

How to use it

Program this early in a concert to set a light, accessible tone for your audience before moving into more substantial repertoire. It pairs well with other Grade 1 novelties and lighter works, or use it as a spring concert opener when seasonal humor lands with families and peers.

Skills your students will build

Left hand dexterity and finger independence within a single octave D major scale
Sustained pizzicato technique with consistent tone and articulation
Note reading in a limited pitch range with clear harmonic foundation
Ensemble balance and blend across a homogeneous texture