Dolce: Viola
By Chris M. Bernotas
Grade: 1.5
Item: 00-PC-0018518_VA1
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Description
Dolce by Chris M. Bernotas will make your young string orchestra sound full and mature. Smooth flowing melodies and rich harmonies are presented to all sections of the orchestra. Featuring a variety of dynamics, this piece will provide a wonderful opportunity to teach phrasing to your students. Dolce, which means sweet, is the perfect selection for any concert setting. (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, Dolce: Viola 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:
Highland/Etling String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
62
SKU:
00-PC-0018518_VA1
More about this title
About the Composer: Chris M. Bernotas
Chris M. Bernotas brings more than 25 years of music education experience to his work as a composer, conductor, and educator. As Director of Instrumental Publications for Alfred Music, he shapes curricula and repertoire for band and orchestra programs across the country, drawing on deep classroom experience to understand what students and teachers actually need.
Bernotas is known for composing music that balances musical substance with pedagogical clarity. His pieces appear regularly in concert halls and festivals, performed by ensembles at every development level. Beyond composition, he serves as a guest conductor and clinician, leading workshops and honor groups. He has also co-authored several professional resources, including Sound Innovations Ensemble Development and Sound Artistry, and remains an active voice in music education, presenting regularly on conducting, composition, and teaching.
Why we love this
Dolce delivers mature sonority and musical substance without technical complexity. The writing distributes melodic and harmonic interest across all sections, so every student feels engaged and contributes meaningfully to the ensemble sound. You'll find the phrasing instruction built into the score itself, making this an ideal teaching score for young orchestras learning how dynamics and line shape musical storytelling.
What to expect
Dolce unfolds with warmth and gentleness, true to its title. The piece wraps the listener in smooth, flowing melodies supported by rich harmonies that feel both age-appropriate and genuinely expressive, creating space for young musicians to discover the beauty in restraint and careful phrasing.
Who it's for
Young string orchestras at the early intermediate level benefit most from this piece. It works equally well in school orchestras, youth symphony programs, and community ensembles where development and musical growth matter as much as technical display.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the melodic lines through subtle crescendi and decrescendi rather than sudden dynamic shifts. Younger players often respond well to thinking about phrases as "breathing," which naturally encourages the smooth, connected sound the piece demands.
- Balance the parts carefully during rehearsal so that the harmonies emerge clearly without any section overwhelming the others. This requires listening across the ensemble, not just within each section.
- Use the concert or festival context as motivation to rehearse intentionally from the beginning. At this length (2:00), every measure counts toward showing an audience what your orchestra can achieve musically.
How to use it
Program this as the centerpiece of a concert where you want to showcase your orchestra's emerging musicality. It pairs well alongside a lighter opener and a more technically demanding closer, giving your program shape and demonstrating the full range of your group's abilities. It also works beautifully in festival or competition settings where judges value musicianship over flashiness.
Skills your students will build
- Phrasing through dynamic shaping and line direction
- Listening for balance and harmonic blend across all sections
- Sustained tone production at varied dynamic levels
- Responding to a conductor's interpretation of musical expression
- Reading and performing across all register positions within each instrument family