Playing with Style for String Quartet or String Orchestra: Score

Martin crafts pieces that respect young players' musical intelligence while keeping them engaged. Each title in this collection brings genuine stylistic variety (tango, ragtime, jazz, folk) rather than generic "classical" arrangements, which means your students will feel like they're discovering real music, not exercise material. The technical demands (glissando, tremolo, syncopation, chromaticism) develop musicianship without overwhelming, and the pieces work equally well in quartet or full orchestra settings, making them invaluable for flexible programming.

Playing with Style opens doors into the rhythmic snap of ragtime, the sultry sway of tango, and the loose-limbed feel of jazz, all without stepping outside what young strings can accomplish. Each piece has genuine character and personality; you're not approximating professional styles but rather inhabiting them at an appropriate developmental level.

Young string quartets or string orchestras ready to explore styles beyond the standard classical repertoire. This collection works for intermediate players who have basic technical fluency and are curious about how style conventions shape phrasing, articulation, and rhythmic feel.

• Isolate the swing rhythms in pieces like Soft Shoe by practicing the rhythmic figures separately from the melodic lines. Once the swing feel locks in rhythmically, layer the melody on top.
• Experiment with the glissando and tremolo effects in rehearsal as optional expressive choices rather than mandatory techniques. Let your players hear how these color the sound before deciding where to use them intentionally.
• Balance the syncopated lines by having players sing their parts first to internalize the rhythmic displacements. This helps prevent the common tendency to revert to straight rhythms under performance pressure.
• Tailor the degree of chromatic elaboration to your ensemble's sight-reading comfort. The pieces permit simplification without losing character, so don't hesitate to mark easier versions on parts if needed.

Program individual pieces throughout the year as stylistic palate cleansers in longer concerts, or group several titles together for a "musical styles" showcase that demonstrates range and versatility. The variety makes these equally suited to spring recitals, community engagement events, or festival programming where judges value ensemble confidence and musical maturity.

• Reading and executing glissando and tremolo as expressive techniques
• Playing swing rhythms and syncopated figures with accuracy and feel
• Navigating chromatic passages with intonation precision
• Adapting vibrato, articulation, and tone quality to suit tango, ragtime, and jazz idioms
• Ensemble balance and independence when rhythmic lines diverge