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Of Glorius Plumage: String Orchestra Conductor Score

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Of Glorius Plumage: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Of Glorius Plumage: String Orchestra Conductor Score

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 4.5

Item: 00-26575S
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Description
A wonderful exploration of the sonorities and orchestration techniques of the French Impressionists, this mature and fascinating work is sure to be a favorite with your advanced high school string orchestra. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Additional Details
Series: Highland/Etling String Orchestra
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 16
ISBN10: 1-4706-6485-2
ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6485-5
UPC: 038081293226
SKU: 00-26575S

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer spent 35 years teaching string students 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 simultaneously directing the city's elementary string initiative. He led the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking the ensemble to performances in New York, Washington D.C., Vienna, Australia, and Canada.

Beyond the rehearsal room, Meyer has shaped music education through his "Giving Bach" program, launched in 2009, which uses interactive concerts to reach students with special needs and in underserved communities across Southern California. His work as a clinician has taken him to the A.S.T.A. National Conference, the Texas Orchestra Directors' Association Conference, and string workshops at Ohio State University and beyond. Meyer has published over 190 compositions and arrangements, served as string editor for Alfred Publishing for 16 years, and co-authored influential string method resources including the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings.

Why we love this

Meyer captures the shimmering orchestration and harmonic subtlety of French Impressionism while maintaining the structural clarity that makes a piece teachable at the 4.5 level. Advanced high school orchestras often struggle to find mature concert repertoire that doesn't demand virtuoso soloists; this work delivers sophistication through collective color and texture instead. The writing demonstrates how thoughtful orchestration technique can create compelling music without excessive technical fireworks.

What to expect

Shimmering and atmospheric, with the harmonic ambiguity and fluid sonorities that define the Impressionist sound world. The orchestration unfolds with delicate layering and subtle timbral shifts that reward both players' attention to detail and audiences' willingness to listen closely.

Who it's for

Advanced high school string orchestras seeking sophisticated concert repertoire that showcases ensemble maturity. This score works equally well as a challenging festival piece for ensembles confident in ensemble balance and tonal control.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the internal voice lines carefully. French Impressionist harmony relies on the interplay of moving middle voices; resist the temptation to spotlight the melody exclusively.
  • Experiment with bow distribution to shape sustained passages and create the floating quality these sonorities demand. Smaller, controlled strokes often work better than full-bow intensity.
  • Use the dynamic and articulation markings as tools for color, not volume. Soft doesn't mean inaudible; each marking serves the impressionistic palette Meyer has created.

How to use it

Program this as a centerpiece on a concert dedicated to 20th-century orchestration techniques or pair it with other works exploring French compositional aesthetics. Its 4.5 difficulty level makes it an ideal capstone piece for spring concerts when advanced ensembles have developed the tonal maturity needed to render the work's textural nuance.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing independent inner voice lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
  • Shaping sustained passages with subtle dynamic gradation and bow control
  • Recognizing and executing impressionistic harmonic language and orchestration color
  • Developing sensitivity to timbral blend across multiple string voices

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