New Chances, New Dances: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$60.00 USD

New Chances, New Dances: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: New Chances, New Dances: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-49470
Price: 60.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 3

Item: 00-49470

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This lively rondo begins with the famous theme from Paganini's Caprice #24, reworked into a 5/4 dance with a cool vibe. Woven into the rondo form are three original dances (a tango, a country dance and a waltz)---each a musical adventure of its own. The colorful orchestration by Richard Meyer gives every member of your ensemble an unforgettable and joyful experience while the wide variety of playing styles and musical challenges make New Chances, New Dances an imaginative selection---the perfect choice for contest or festival. (4:10) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, New Chances, New Dances: 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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Series: Highland String Orchestra (HSO)

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-5010-X

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5010-0

UPC: 038081570884

SKU: 00-49470

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer spent 35 years teaching strings in public schools, where he built the Oak Avenue Intermediate School program from 29 students to 200 and oversaw the city's elementary string curriculum. His work extends beyond the classroom: he directed the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking them on tour to New York, Washington D.C., Vienna, Australia, and Canada, and created the nationally recognized "Giving Bach" program to bring interactive concerts to special needs and underserved students throughout Southern California.

Meyer is a prolific composer and arranger with over 190 published works and served 16 years as string editor for Alfred Publishing. He has been a featured clinician at the A.S.T.A. National Conference and Texas Orchestra Directors' Association Conference, as well as guest conductor for All-State and Honor Orchestras in multiple states. He co-authored the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings, two widely used pedagogical resources.

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Why we love this

Meyer captures the energy of a beloved technical showpiece (Paganini's Caprice #24) and transforms it into something Grade 3 orchestras can actually own. The rondo frame keeps the form transparent while the embedded dances (tango, country, waltz) give every student a distinct character to inhabit, and the orchestration ensures that everyone from first violin to bass has something rewarding to play.

What to expect

Spirited and playful, with the recognizable Paganini theme giving audiences an "aha" moment right away. The 5/4 rondo framework creates an unexpectedly modern vibe, while the tango, country dance, and waltz provide contrasting colors that range from sultry to rollicking to elegant without ever feeling precious.

Who it's for

Grade 3 string orchestras ready to tackle mixed meters and stylistic variety. This works well for ensembles with solid intonation and rhythm who want a contest or festival piece that is both musically engaging and not over-rehearsed.

How to get the most out of it

Establish a solid 5/4 pulse early in rehearsals with the opening rondo section. Once your ensemble locks the meter, the contrast with the embedded dances becomes even more striking.
Give each dance its own personality during sectionals. The tango needs sharp articulation and rhythmic snap; the country dance should have a folksy, slightly relaxed feel; the waltz requires lyrical phrasing and smooth bow control.
Balance the orchestration carefully in the rondo returns. Meyer wrote colorful parts throughout, but the famous Paganini theme should remain the harmonic and melodic anchor when it reappears.
Use the 4-minute-10-second length strategically in rehearsal. The piece moves quickly, so precision with meter changes and style shifts matters more than dwelling on technical passages.

How to use it

Program this as a contest selection or festival entry where the combination of recognizable material and genuine compositional craft will impress adjudicators. It also works well on a concert pairing classical-adjacent themes with contemporary reinterpretation, especially if your program explores how familiar melodies can take on new life.

Skills your students will build

Reading and performing in 5/4 meter with confidence and stability
Stylistic flexibility across tango, country dance, and waltz idioms
Intonation and balance in a colorful, densely voiced orchestration
Maintaining thematic identity (the Paganini returns) while navigating contrasting episodes
Ensemble articulation and rhythmic precision across style changes