Ose Shalom (The One Who Makes Peace): String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Leavitt's orchestration gives each string section meaningful material to play, so no one is doubling or carrying filler parts. The closing violin cadenza is a genuine moment of beauty that rewards your soloists without demanding virtuosity beyond Grade 3-4 capacity.

Warm, meditative, and ultimately hopeful. The string writing creates a hushed, introspective quality that lifts gradually, with the violin cadenza serving as a moment of personal reflection within a larger communal prayer.

String orchestras at the intermediate level who want a piece with emotional weight and Jewish cultural substance. This works equally well for concert repertoire and contest programs where a non-English selection with spiritual depth strengthens the program.

• Let the inner voices breathe. Violas and cellos carry as much melodic weight as the violins, so balance rehearsals should account for their prominence in the counterpoint.
• Shape the cadenza as a guided solo moment rather than a technical showcase. Encourage the soloist to sing the line with phrasing that honors the prayer's contemplative text.
• Mark the emotional architecture early. Identify where the piece builds and recedes so your students understand this isn't static background music but a journey toward that final solo moment.

Pair this with other concert selections to create a program that spans cultural traditions. A spring concert built around themes of peace and reflection gains real substance when this piece anchors the second half.

• Balancing non-unison melodic writing across the ensemble
• Executing expressive phrasing in a slower, prayer-based context
• Accompanying a featured soloist with sensitive dynamic control
• Interpreting text-based emotional content without lyrics