Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score

$10.00 USD

Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Name: Five Note Fiddler: String Orchestra Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51059S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Grade: 0.5

Item: 00-51059S

$10.00

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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)

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Series: MakeMusic Developing Strings

Publisher: MakeMusic Publications

ISBN10: 1-4706-6909-9

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6909-6

UPC: 038081587912

SKU: 00-51059S

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber repertoire at the highest levels. His works have been performed by everyone from professional symphony orchestras to elementary school ensembles in venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association.

Balmages has been honored with the inaugural James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award and was commissioned by the University of Miami to compose for the inauguration of its sixth president. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. As a conductor, he regularly leads all-state and regional ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages proves that severe harmonic and melodic constraints spark genuine creativity rather than limit it. The fiddle idiom gives students immediate permission to play with rhythmic freedom and style, and watching him weave a five-note melody across the full string section keeps young players engaged and listening to one another. This is a piece that sounds far more sophisticated than its technical requirements suggest.

What to expect

Playful and energetic, with the scrappy charm of folk fiddle music. Despite its simplicity, the piece has genuine voice leading and orchestral sophistication; it never feels like a drill, only like a real composition written in miniature.

Who it's for

Beginning string orchestras and developing string programs looking for substantial musical payoff with minimal technical demand. This piece works equally well for contest and festival settings, classroom demonstrations of orchestration, or concerts celebrating foundational musicianship.

How to get the most out of it

Embrace the fiddle style by encouraging flexible, slightly pushed articulations rather than classical precision; let the phrasing breathe with the melody as it passes between sections
Lock the rhythm section (bass and cello) early to give the melody players a secure rhythmic foundation for their improvisatory-feeling phrases
Highlight the key moments when the melody passes from one voice to another so each section knows exactly when to bring it forward and when to recede into accompaniment

How to use it

Slot this early in a concert to establish energy and accessibility, or use it as a pedagogical anchor at the beginning of the year when your orchestra is still building ensemble cohesion. Its brevity (1:15) makes it ideal for festival rotation or as a crowd-pleaser paired with other Grade 0.5 to 1 pieces that expand the harmonic palette.