Ninja: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$50.00 USD

Ninja: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Ninja: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-44828
Price: 50.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 1

Item: 00-44828

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There's a ninja on the loose and he's sneaking through the orchestra. But not for long! Your students will love making up storylines for what happens next in this colorful Asian-flavored piece that uses only the notes of the D Major scale. There are plenty of great teaching opportunities here for your first-year students, including pizzicato, accents, crescendos, and melody/accompaniment balance. Fun for everyone! (2:15)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Ninja: 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/Etling String Explorer

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 72

ISBN10: 1-4706-5288-9

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5288-3

UPC: 038081520117

SKU: 00-44828

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer spent 35 years teaching strings across elementary, middle, and high school levels in public schools. At Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, he transformed the orchestra program from 29 students to 200 over 22 years while also directing the city's elementary string initiative. He led the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking ensembles to perform in New York, Washington D.C., Vienna, Australia, and Canada.

Meyer is a nationally published composer with over 190 works and arrangements in circulation. In 2009, he created the "Giving Bach" program, an interactive concert series that has gained national recognition for reaching special needs and underserved students across Southern California. He has served as a featured clinician at major conferences including the A.S.T.A. National Conference and Ohio State University's String Teachers' Workshops, and spent 16 years as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company. He coauthored the String Explorer Series and other widely used string resources.

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Why we love this

Meyer writes for first-year orchestras with genuine understanding of what students can execute and what will captivate them. The narrative frame of a ninja moving through the ensemble gives students a reason to care about precision and dynamics beyond abstract musicianship, while the D Major constraint keeps the technical barrier low and allows focus to land squarely on expression and ensemble balance.

What to expect

A playful adventure that shifts between stealth and action. Pizzicato passages create tension and mischief, while the D Major tonality and Asian-influenced melodic shapes give the piece color and personality without demanding advanced technique. Students feel like they're performing something with real narrative stakes, not just a drill.

Who it's for

Grade 1 string orchestras with first-year players who are ready for rhythmic and dynamic variety but still need straightforward pitch content. This works equally well for students on their first instrument or in their first year of playing together as an ensemble.

How to get the most out of it

Establish a clear pulse for the pizzicato passages so the sneaking rhythm feels intentional rather than loose. Tap a steady beat in your opening rehearsals and have students lock in before adding accents.
Balance the melody and accompaniment by having the supporting voices play at mezzo-piano while the lead line sits at mezzo-forte. Swap parts between sections in a run-through so players understand both roles.
Shape the crescendos gradually across full measures rather than in sudden jumps. Remind students that sneaking requires stealth, so even louder moments should build with control.
Use the narrative to reinforce articulation choices. Pizzicato should bounce with precision; bowed passages should flow without scratching or breaking the line.

How to use it

Program this early in a concert to set an energetic, approachable tone for your audience. It pairs well with contrasting styles on the same bill, or use it as a standalone opener for a grade school or middle school performance. The short runtime (2:15) makes it ideal for festivals or assembly performances.