High Five: String Orchestra Conductor Score

High Five delivers exactly what a first concert needs: genuine musical satisfaction paired with ironclad success. The open-position limitation and doubled parts mean your ensemble will sound unified and confident from the first rehearsal, and the optional pizzicato arrangement and free drum track give you built-in variety without asking students to learn new material.

Energetic and straightforward, with a rock sensibility that keeps students engaged without overwhelming them. The piece radiates confidence through its clean lines and strong harmonic structure, creating the feeling of a real concert performance rather than an exercise.

Beginning string orchestras performing their first concert or early season festival. The material works for any ensemble size thanks to the doubled parts, and the limited pitch set guarantees that intonation will remain secure even in a large group with mixed ability levels.

• Establish a steady pulse before layering the drum track; download it early so students hear how the groove sits against their parts.
• Try the full pizzicato version in rehearsal to refresh student ears and lighten the mood before the concert performance.
• Introduce 4th finger A to violins and violas during the final week of rehearsals so students internalize the open pattern before expanding their hand position.

Open your fall concert with this piece to establish momentum and audience goodwill from the start. The pizzicato variation lets you reprogram it later in the season alongside more traditional repertoire, stretching its usefulness across multiple performance contexts.

• Reading rhythm in quarter notes and eighth notes
• Maintaining open finger position and identifying the first five notes of the D major scale
• Playing with ensemble blend and unified tone quality
• Executing pizzicato technique with rhythmic precision
• Introducing 4th finger extension for violins and violas