El Gato Pizzicato: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$46.00 USD

El Gato Pizzicato: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: El Gato Pizzicato: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-40460
Price: 46.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 1.5

Item: 00-40460

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Your students' imaginations will run wild as they rehearse and perform this charming Spanish-flavored salute to cats. Glissando "meows," threatening "hisses," and even an enthusiastic visit from a dog set the mood for what is sure to be the highlight of any concert. A great way to introduce shifting basics and high vs. low finger patterns, this selection is also a wonderful way for students to learn about tone painting. Includes a simple part for maracas and claves, as well as piano accompaniment and violin III parts. Correlates to String Explorer, Book 1, Unit 13.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, El Gato Pizzicato: 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 Explorer

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 76

UPC: 038081456317

SKU: 00-40460

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer spent 35 years teaching strings in public schools, including 22 years directing orchestras at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, where he grew the program from 29 to 200 students. He also led the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking them on national and international tours, and founded the "Giving Bach" program, which has become nationally recognized for bringing interactive concerts to special needs and underserved students throughout Southern California.

As a composer and arranger, Meyer has over 190 works in print and served 16 years as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company. He co-authored the String Explorer method series and Sight-read It for Strings, establishing himself as a significant voice in string music education. Meyer has appeared as a clinician at the ASTA National Conference, Texas Orchestra Directors' Association Conference, and string workshops at Ohio State University.

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Why we love this

Meyer captures the physicality of animal character work without resorting to gimmicks. The glissando meows and hisses emerge naturally from legitimate string technique, so students feel like musicians creating a story rather than mimicking sounds. Programming this builds genuine ensemble cohesion because everyone invests in the narrative.

What to expect

Playful and theatrical without being silly. Spanish guitar rhythms pulse underneath whimsical string gestures, and the narrative arc moves from mischievous cat behavior to genuine dramatic tension when the dog arrives. Students feel the architecture of a real piece while having permission to be expressive and character-driven.

Who it's for

Beginning string orchestras ready to move beyond purely technical exercises. The Grade 1.5 level challenges students with shifting and extended positions while keeping the musical payoff immediate and fun. It works equally well for groups that need a concert opener or a program-closer that sends audiences home smiling.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the glissando meows in sectionals before full rehearsal; isolate the exact pressure and bow speed needed so they sound intentional, not accidental.
Layer the dog's entrance as a surprise moment. Let your rhythm section (maracas and claves) anchor it while the strings react with those hisses, creating real dramatic tension.
Balance the Spanish flavor with clarity. The melody sings best when accompaniment figures stay light and rhythmically tight, especially if you're performing this alongside more serious repertoire on the same concert.

How to use it

Place this mid-program where audiences need a tonal shift from heavier classical works. The novelty element and clear narrative make it an excellent bridge piece, or use it as the perfect contrast to a serious contemporary work earlier in the concert. Many directors also pair it with other animal-themed light pieces for a thematic program.