Elementa: Score
By Soon Hee Newbold
Grade: 4
Item: 98-DST6553S
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Description
This stunning three-movement work has it all! The opening movement, "Flights of Fancy," symbolizes the element of air and features soaring phrases. The second movement, "Terra," resembles an Appalachian lullaby and represents the element of earth. The final movement, "Fire and Ice," is a tour-de-force that captures the elements of fire and water meeting to create steam and the resulting kinetic energy. Glorious music! (7:40)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Elementa: Score 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:
FJH String Orchestra
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DST6553S
More about this title
About the Composer: Soon Hee Newbold
Soon Hee Newbold brings together musical traditions from around the world in her compositions, drawing on a lifetime of performance and cultural immersion. Her dual path as a concert artist and composer began in childhood with piano at five and violin at seven, evolving into a career that has taken her to stages including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center, as well as to orchestras and ensembles across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Beyond the concert hall, she has composed for film and recording projects in Hollywood, bringing the same sophisticated ear and cross-cultural sensibility to every medium.
Newbold's reputation as both composer and clinician rests on her ability to write music that serves ensembles at all levels without sacrificing artistic depth. She is a frequent keynote speaker and guest conductor, working directly with orchestras and bands to explore the possibilities of her scores. Her catalogue demonstrates a genuine commitment to expanding what young and developing musicians can achieve, creating works that challenge and inspire rather than simplify.
Why we love this
Newbold has crafted a three-movement arc that balances narrative appeal with genuine musical substance. The elemental framework gives your string players clear imagery to work with, yet the writing itself stands on musical merit; "Flights of Fancy" soars with elegant lines, "Terra" settles into the warmth of folk idiom, and "Fire and Ice" delivers the kind of kinetic excitement that leaves audiences energized. At Grade 4, this piece fills the sweet spot between accessible orchestration and music that feels genuinely rewarding to conduct and perform.
What to expect
The opening lifts you skyward with luminous, soaring phrases that capture the freedom of air itself. The middle movement settles into a contemplative, almost meditative space reminiscent of traditional melodies rooted in place and earth. The final movement erupts into kinetic energy, propulsive and visceral, where opposing forces meet and create something new.
Who it's for
String orchestra directors seeking a Grade 4 contest or festival piece that combines approachable orchestration with genuine artistry. This work suits ensembles with solid fundamentals in intonation and phrasing, and players who respond well to narrative and imagery as rehearsal tools.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the soaring phrases in "Flights of Fancy" by listening for the natural arc in each line rather than treating them as isolated gestures. Let the violins breathe at musical peaks and valleys.
- Approach "Terra" with the restraint and intimacy of a folk tradition. The beauty lives in simplicity and in-tune playing, not in dramatic tempo changes.
- Prepare "Fire and Ice" by clarifying the rhythmic relationship between the two elements in rehearsal. Mark the transition points clearly so energy builds rather than shifts abruptly.
How to use it
Program this as a centerpiece for a concert exploring themes, or pair it with lighter character pieces to let its three-movement scope anchor the program. It works equally well as a contest selection where the emotional range and technical demands showcase ensemble growth across a season. The 7:40 duration gives you flexibility in mixed repertoire programming.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long, shaped phrases across multiple measures
- Achieving rhythmic precision in dialogue between section transitions
- Responding to programmatic imagery as a rehearsal and performance tool
- Balancing technical clarity with emotional expression
- Reading and performing contrasting tempos and textures within one piece