High Five: HybridNOW String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Bernotas understands that first concerts are about confidence, and High Five delivers it. By limiting the palette to five notes in D major and using open finger patterns, he removes technical barriers while the rock energy keeps students genuinely invested in their playing. The doubled parts guarantee the ensemble sounds full and together, which matters enormously when your players are still building ensemble awareness.

High Five bounces with pop-rock energy while staying completely grounded in fundamental technique. Students feel the propulsive groove beneath their fingers, creating the satisfying sensation of playing something modern and alive rather than merely executing exercises.

Beginning string orchestras performing their first or second concert need accessible material that builds confidence without sounding thin or juvenile. This piece serves orchestras of any size because the doubled parts create a full texture whether you have 15 players or 50.

• Experiment with the all-pizzicato version at rehearsal before settling on your final approach. The percussive attack fits the rock character beautifully and can help younger players lock into the pulse.
• Layer in the free drum track during final rehearsals so students acclimate to the groove before the concert. The accompaniment changes the acoustic experience significantly.
• Use the 4th finger A introduction as a teachable moment rather than a technical hurdle. Isolate it in a few measures, make sure everyone finds the note, then move forward without making it feel like an obstacle.

Open a fall concert with this piece when your ensemble is still knitting itself together. Its accessibility lets you program something with genuine personality early in the year, setting a tone that strings can be fun and current. You might also pair it with a traditional folk arrangement to show your audience the range of styles your orchestra embraces.

• Reading and intonating notes within the D major scale
• Maintaining open finger patterns across multiple strings
• Playing with rhythmic precision in a rock idiom
• Blending bow and pizzicato articulations
• Executing 4th finger on violin and viola
• Responding to instrumental accompaniment and external pulse