Fantasía española: Viola
By Soon Hee Newbold
Grade: 4
Item: 98-PC-DST6095_VA1
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Description
Soon Hee Newbold explores the colorful traditions of Spanish festivals in her latest symphonic work. From their fascinating dances to the infamous bull fights, these festivals will come to life right in your concert hall. Effects include a guitar-like pizzicato (strumming) and col legno (to imitate castanets). A tango section has solos for all parts and the festive ending leads to a furious finish. Sure to be a favorite!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Fantasía española: 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:
FJH String Orchestra
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DST6095_VA1
More about this title
About the Composer: Soon Hee Newbold
Soon Hee Newbold brings together her global musical perspective and lived experience to create works that speak across cultural boundaries. After beginning her musical training at five on piano and continuing violin at seven, she performed as a concert artist in professional ensembles worldwide before establishing herself as a composer whose music now reaches audiences from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center to stages across the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and China.
Newbold's compositional voice centers on the integration of world musical traditions, a practice she has refined through extensive travel and cultural immersion. Her works span the full spectrum of ensemble levels, from professional symphony orchestras to beginning elementary groups. She also maintains an active career as a guest clinician, keynote speaker, and conductor, and her music extends into film and recording projects through her work in Hollywood.
Why we love this
Newbold captures authentic Spanish character without requiring your orchestra to master unfamiliar idioms. The guitar pizzicato and col legno effects become natural extensions of string technique rather than gimmicks, and the tango section distributes solos across the full ensemble so every player owns a moment of the narrative.
What to expect
Spanish sunlight and movement flood the concert hall. The orchestra becomes a living canvas of festival color—guitars strumming, dancers twirling, castanets clicking—before the tango pulls everything into a more intimate groove. The final rush arrives like a bullfighter's moment of triumph, breathless and exhilarating.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the intermediate level seeking colorful, culturally rich material that engages audiences and players alike. Directors programming festival or contest appearances will find a piece that balances technical accessibility with sophisticated orchestration and genuine musicality.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the pizzicato strumming patterns early in sectional rehearsals; the guitar-like effect requires consistent rhythmic precision and clean attack across all strings.
- Bring out the tango solos by rotating parts slightly forward in the mix during that section, allowing each instrumental voice to project without losing ensemble cohesion.
- Shape the col legno passages with dynamic clarity so the castanets-like timbre cuts through rather than muddies; lightness and articulation matter more than volume.
- Build the furious finish gradually through the final measures, using tempo and dynamic control to create mounting energy rather than pushing hard from the start of the climax.
How to use it
Place this piece near the end of a program where its festive energy can lift the room, or program it as a standalone feature during a pops or family concert where visual storytelling matters. It pairs naturally with other world music selections or as a bridge between classical and contemporary repertoire in a concert exploring cultural themes.
Skills your students will build
- Pizzicato technique with rhythmic accuracy and clean articulation
- Col legno execution producing clear, controlled articulate strokes
- Solo playing and ensemble balance within full-orchestra texture
- Stylistic interpretation of Spanish and Latin musical idioms
- Dynamic shaping and phrasing across extended crescendos and climaxes