Frostbite: Flexible String Ensemble Score

$10.00 USD

Frostbite: Flexible String Ensemble Score

Name: Frostbite: Flexible String Ensemble Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-51746S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Erica Donahoe

Grade: 2.5

Item: 00-51746S

$10.00

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This title features Alfred Music's String Orchestra FLEX options. That means that every part in this set is now transposed into every other part, so you can play this title with any combination of like- or mixed-string ensemble. After purchasing this set, decide what additional parts you need to meet the unique needs of your ensemble, then download and print them for free at alfred.com/supplemental---free of charge.

Frostbite, by Erica Donahoe, captures the icy blasts and chilling wind of a winter storm. This piece uses driving rhythms and repeated sixteenth-note passages to amplify the intensity of the melody. The opening theme returns at the end of the piece in a fugue-like setting that is sure to challenge your students and bring the piece to an exciting finish! (2:05)

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Series: Highland String Orchestra

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-7388-6

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-7388-8

UPC: 038081596082

SKU: 00-51746S

More about this title

Why we love this

Donahoe writes with genuine understanding of what intermediate string players can handle and what will excite them. The fugue-like return of the opening theme gives your ensemble a legitimate structural challenge without sacrificing the visceral fun of those driving rhythms, and the FLEX instrumentation means you can actually perform it regardless of who showed up to rehearsal.

What to expect

Sharp, energetic, and kinetic. Donahoe uses repetition and rhythmic momentum to build an almost relentless sense of motion, as if the ensemble itself is being buffeted by winter wind. The return to the opening theme in fugal form adds intellectual weight and drama to what began as pure energy.

Who it's for

String orchestras working at the 2.5 grade level who need seasonal repertoire with substance. The FLEX system makes this accessible whether you have a full complement of players or are staffing an ensemble with mixed instrumentation.

How to get the most out of it

Maintain rhythmic precision in the sixteenth-note passages by subdividing on the beat; these figures propel the intensity, so any wavering in tempo undercuts the storm effect.
Shape the opening theme with a clear dynamic contour before the fugue section arrives; this makes the return feel like a real architectural moment rather than just a restatement.
Balance the middle voices in the fugue carefully so that each entering line is audible. Adjust your seating or mic placement if you're recording for a festival.

How to use it

Program this as a concert opener or a standalone winter concert centerpiece. At just over two minutes, it fits cleanly into a festival program or a mid-rehearsal performance moment. It also reads well as a contrast to slower, more lyrical pieces on the same concert.