Ear-igami: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$60.00 USD

Ear-igami: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Ear-igami: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-31592
Price: 60.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 2

Item: 00-31592

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Ear-igami is a fascinating musical tribute to the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. Instead of a bow, each performer uses a piece of paper to make sounds and "play" their instrument. Your audience will be entranced as they watch and hear the variety of effects possible in this charming set of pentatonic variations. Premiered by the composer's middle school orchestra, this music is sure to intrigue high school and adult musicians as well. Nothing like it! 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, Ear-igami: 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: Highland/Etling String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 132

ISBN10: 1-4706-5886-0

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5886-1

UPC: 038081342634

SKU: 00-31592

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer brings three decades of string teaching experience to his work as a composer and conductor. He spent 22 years building the orchestra program at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, expanding it from 29 to 200 students, and directed the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking ensembles on performance tours across North America, Europe, and Australia. His "Giving Bach" initiative, launched in 2009, has earned national recognition for using interactive concerts to reach students with special needs and underserved communities throughout Southern California.

Beyond the podium, Meyer has established himself as a prolific composer with nearly 200 published works and arrangements to his name. He served 16 years as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company and co-authored the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings, resources widely adopted in school music programs. His clinician work spans the A.S.T.A. National Conference, the Texas Orchestra Directors' Association, and university string workshops, making him a visible voice in contemporary string education.

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Why we love this

Ear-igami delivers genuine novelty without sacrificing musicality. The concept of using paper to generate sounds creates an immediate visual hook that captivates audiences, yet Meyer's pentatonic writing ensures the musical content remains sophisticated and engaging enough for musicians who have grown beyond gimmicks.

What to expect

Ear-igami unfolds like watching origami come to life through sound. The pentatonic variations create a meditative, unfolding quality punctuated by the tactile magic of paper rustling, scratching, and brushing against strings. It feels both whimsical and respectful, honoring a centuries-old craft while inviting performers and listeners into something genuinely surprising.

Who it's for

Grade 2 string orchestras ready for a concert piece that generates conversation and delight. High school orchestras and adult community ensembles will find it equally rewarding as a change-of-pace selection that reminds musicians why experimentation and play matter in music-making.

How to get the most out of it

Distribute paper materials in advance and rehearse sound-making techniques before opening the score. Different papers produce different timbres, so let students experiment to find what works best for their section.
Coordinate the paper effects carefully with the conductor. Clarity of ensemble sound depends on unified timing and consistent technique across the orchestra, so treat the paper articulations with the same precision you would bow strokes.
Prepare the audience for what they're about to witness. A brief pre-concert note explaining the origami connection and the shift from traditional to alternative sound sources sets expectations and deepens appreciation.

How to use it

This work thrives as a midconcert highlight that signals a shift in tone and gives audiences permission to smile and be amazed. Place it alongside traditional repertoire to showcase the full range of what your ensemble can do, or build a thematic concert around contemporary techniques and world music influences.