Music Arranging and Orchestration: Book

Name: Music Arranging and Orchestration: Book
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-SB00904
Price: 39.99 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By John Cacavas

Item: 00-SB00904

$39.99

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Orchestrating is a highly complex technique and to many, even those with academic training, a mystery fraught with a labyrinth of hazards. What is required, along with innate talent and general musicality, is the practical "know how." This is hard to achieve without actual professional experience and contact with "live" orchestras. To this end, John Cacavas contributes his extensive experience and ability with a practical approach to the practical problems of orchestrating. It is in this context most orchestrators must function, and to whom this book should be of benefit. The author has been a "musical activist" in all the varied aspects of instrumental combination from the "classical" to the "contemporary," and in the diverse application of his skills in all the media that utilize music and "orchestrations."

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Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 184

ISBN10: 0-7692-5772-0

ISBN13: 978-0-7692-5772-3

UPC: 029156154689

SKU: 00-SB00904

More about this title

About the Author: John Cacavas

John Cacavas brought decades of professional orchestration experience directly into the classroom and studio. After graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in Composition and Theory, he served as an arranger with the United States Army Band in Washington, D.C., then built a career scoring over 400 television hours, 50 TV movies, and 15 feature films for studios across the United States and internationally.

His work spans classical to contemporary instrumental combinations and every media that demands orchestration. That real-world foundation shapes this book's philosophy: orchestration is not a theoretical puzzle but a practical craft learned through concrete problem-solving and exposure to how live orchestras actually sound.

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Why we love this

Cacavas writes from the trenches, not from academic tradition. This book cuts through the mystique of orchestration by focusing on the actual decisions orchestrators face on deadline, with real ensembles, in real contexts. Anyone serious about orchestration will find themselves returning to this text because it treats the craft as learnable skill rather than inherited magic.

Who it's for

Composers and arrangers ready to move beyond harmonic theory into instrumental writing. This book serves orchestrators working in film, television, concert music, and commercial contexts who need practical guidance on balancing instrumental combinations and solving the acoustic problems that arise in real scores.

How to use it

Assign chapters as your arranging students begin score projects, pairing the book's practical guidance with their own writing assignments. This works best after students have solid foundational harmony and voice-leading skills, serving as the bridge between music theory and the orchestral writing they'll encounter in upper-level classes.

Skills your students will build

Selecting appropriate instrumental combinations for specific musical ideas
Understanding the acoustic and technical properties of orchestral instruments in ensemble
Solving balance and blend problems in scored passages
Adapting arrangements for different ensemble sizes and available instrumentation
Translating compositional intent into playable orchestral writing