Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51059
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 0.5

Item: 00-51059

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Based entirely on just five notes (D through A), Five Note Fiddler is an ideal way to reinforce the D tetrachord while having a ton of fun in a fiddle-inspired setting. Brian Balmages playfully weaves the melody throughout the ensemble as the music unfolds. Surprisingly sophisticated in sound, yet highly approachable! (1:15)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Five Note Fiddler: 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: MakeMusic Developing Strings

Publisher: MakeMusic Publications

ISBN10: 1-4706-6908-0

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6908-9

UPC: 038081587905

SKU: 00-51059

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built a reputation as a composer and conductor equally fluent in orchestral, band, and chamber music repertoire. His works have been performed by ensembles ranging from professional symphony orchestras to elementary school groups in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, among other significant honors.

As a guest conductor, Balmages leads regional and all-state ensembles, university orchestras, and professional groups worldwide. His music has been featured at the Midwest Clinic, the College Band Directors Conference, and numerous state conferences. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

This piece does the rare thing of making a severe compositional constraint feel like total musical freedom. By restricting himself to just five pitches, Balmages creates an arrangement that feels almost effortlessly playful yet genuinely sophisticated, giving young string players the joy of making real fiddle music without wrestling technical barriers. It's an ideal opener for any concert because it builds confidence while sounding like more than its teaching purpose.

What to expect

Five Note Fiddler bounces with the infectious energy of folk fiddle, inviting players and listeners into a world where limitations spark creativity rather than constraint. The melody dances playfully from section to section over a sturdy harmonic framework, creating that satisfying sensation of making real music despite the simplified note set.

Who it's for

This piece is ideal for young string orchestras working within Grade 0.5 to 1 range who are developing left-hand facility and rhythmic independence. It works equally well for elementary and middle school programs using the D tetrachord curriculum and for any group seeking accessible fiddle repertoire with genuine musical substance.

How to get the most out of it

Lean into the fiddle character by encouraging crisp articulations and a slightly forward bow approach rather than the classical string sound students might default to
Keep the tempo steady and dance-like; this piece thrives on rhythmic groove more than expressive legato
Balance the melody between sections as Balmages moves it around the ensemble; make sure accompanying parts stay lighter and support rather than compete
Use the opportunity to lock rhythm section (pizzicato parts, if present) with bow attacks elsewhere to create cohesion

How to use it

Open a concert or festival performance with this piece to establish an energetic, approachable tone while showcasing your students' ability to blend and communicate musically. It also pairs well in a program sequence with other folk-inspired or pedagogical works, giving audiences a genuine musical moment rather than a purely instructional interlude.