Ghost Carnival: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
By Erik Morales
Grade: 3
Item: 98-DST6202
$55.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost Carnival: Score | $5.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Violin 1 | $7.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Violin 2 | $7.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Violin 3 (Viola T.C.) | $7.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Viola | $7.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Violoncello | $7.00 | |
| Ghost Carnival: Double Bass | $7.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
With the air of a suspense thriller from beginning to end, this innovative composition highlights a wealth of bowing techniques and effects including tremelo, ponticello, pizzicato, and artificial harmonics (in first violins). Listeners will certainly hear these ghostly spirits come alive while students have an incredible experience learning the piece. Truly original!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Ghost Carnival: 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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Additional Details
Series:
FJH String Orchestra
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-DST6202
More about this title
About the Composer: Erik Morales
Erik Morales began composing during his high school years in south Florida, when his former band director commissioned him to arrange marching band music in 1985. Since then, he has developed a compositional voice that balances artistic sophistication with educational value, earning recognition across multiple genres including classical, jazz, and commercial music. He studied composition at Florida International University and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette in 1989.
With over 150 published works spanning wind ensembles, orchestras, jazz groups, and chamber combinations, Morales has built a reputation for crafting music that engages both performers and audiences worldwide. His trumpet writing is particularly celebrated; his trumpet ensembles have won first place at the 2006 and 2008 National Trumpet Competitions, and his Concerto for Trumpet in C and Piano premiered at the 2009 International Trumpet Guild conference. In 2016, he was inducted into the Louisiana Association for Jazz Education's Hall of Fame. Schools and organizations nationwide continue to commission new works from him.
Why we love this
Morales designs this piece specifically for the orchestra classroom, packing sophisticated string techniques into a Grade 3 frame that remains musically engaging. The Halloween novelty concept gives it built-in appeal for fall programming, but the genuine compositional craftsmanship and technical challenges keep it from feeling gimmicky or thin. Directors get a piece that teaches real skills while students actually want to play it.
What to expect
The music unfolds like a suspense score waiting for the scare that almost arrives but never quite does. Tremolo, ponticello, and pizzicato effects shimmer and shift throughout, creating an unsettling atmosphere that feels more sophisticated than its grade level suggests. The overall effect is playful menace rather than genuine horror, making it perfect for October concerts without requiring a dark stage or elaborate staging.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the Grade 3 level looking to add contemporary repertoire with pedagogical substance. This piece works equally well for classroom ensembles building technical confidence and competitive festivals seeking distinctive, well-written novelty selections.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the tremolo and ponticello passages carefully so effects enhance rather than overwhelm the melodic content; these techniques create atmosphere only when listeners can still follow the musical idea underneath.
- Work the first violin artificial harmonics in isolation before full rehearsal; even Grade 3 students can master them with patient, focused sectional time and clear fingering diagrams from the conductor.
- Shape the pizzicato sections with rhythmic precision and dynamic control; sloppy articulation will flatten the suspense the composer has built into the harmonic progression.
- Let the contrast between sul ponticello and normal bowing drive the phrasing; the ghostly quality depends on your orchestra understanding when to switch techniques and why.
How to use it
Program this as a Halloween concert opener to immediately establish mood and grab audience attention, or pair it with lighter classics to showcase your orchestra's expanded technical palette. The Contest/Festival designation makes it a strong choice for fall competitions where novelty selections often score well when the writing is this thoughtful.
Skills your students will build
- Tremolo bowing with consistent tone and control
- Sul ponticello (bridge) playing and tone quality contrast
- Pizzicato articulation and rhythmic clarity
- Artificial harmonics (first violins) and intonation in extended techniques
- Character and atmosphere through bowing choices and effects
- Reading and responding to detailed conductor cues for technique changes