Duke Ellington for Strings: Violin I Book

This collection captures the sophistication and swing of Ellington's compositional voice without requiring jazz instrumentalists or complex voicings your strings can't handle. The variety of moods across these 16 pieces gives you genuine programming flexibility, whether you're looking to close a concert with infectious energy or open with reflective elegance.

Sophisticated urban elegance meets infectious joy. These pieces swing with purpose while maintaining the lyrical grace strings bring naturally. You'll find yourself shifting between sultry, reflective moods and upbeat, ensemble-driven grooves that feel both timeless and alive.

String directors who want to program Ellington beyond the standard orchestral repertoire, whether for a dedicated jazz strings concert, a pops program, or a mixed season. These arrangements suit ensembles from small chamber groups to full orchestras, making them ideal for schools and community orchestras looking to expand their musical palette.

• Lean into the offbeat articulations and syncopated rhythms that define swing feel; these aren't classical pieces, so straight rhythms will flatten the character Zinn's arrangement aims for.
• Pay close attention to the section markings and style cues in the score. Ellington's music shifts between bluesy, lyrical, and driving idioms sometimes within a single piece, so follow the arranger's intent closely.
• Balance your vibrato carefully in the slower, introspective pieces like 'Solitude' and 'In a Sentimental Mood'; these arrangements rely on singers' phrasing translated to strings, and excessive vibrato clouds that line.
• Work the ensemble's intonation on the chromatic passages and blue notes that appear throughout. Jazz harmony sits differently on the ear than diatonic classical writing, and tuning must be precise to land those colors.

String orchestras often default to classical or contemporary concert music; this collection provides a refreshing change of pace that audiences love. Consider pairing several pieces as a Ellington-focused suite mid-program, or use individual selections as encores to show a different side of your ensemble's versatility.

• Reading and executing swing rhythms and syncopation
• Playing with jazz-inflected phrasing and articulation
• Intonation in chromatic and blues-based harmonic contexts
• Balancing vibrato in lyrical versus rhythmic passages
• Ensemble cohesion across varied musical styles and tempos