Return to Waterford: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$49.00 USD

Return to Waterford: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Return to Waterford: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-47463
Price: 49.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Waltz

By Andrew H. Dabczynski

Grade: 2.5

Item: 00-47463

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This tender, flowing waltz conveys a sense of peaceful nostalgia, reflecting his family's long association with the pastoral village of Waterford, Maine. This enchanting piece provides an opportunity for young string players to master graceful phrasing and smooth legato bowing. Totally approachable for intermediate players, yet appropriately challenging for more advanced musicians, it includes a delightful optional harp/piano part. An original fiddle waltz, written to celebrate the wedding of the composer's daughter, this piece will transport audiences and complement any string orchestra program.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Return to Waterford: 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: 140

UPC: 038081547169

SKU: 00-47463

More about this title

About the Composer: Andrew H. Dabczynski

Andrew H. Dabczynski is an Emeritus Professor of Music Education at Brigham Young University, where he founded the "New Horizons Orchestra," a beginning string ensemble for adults that has served as a teaching laboratory for string educators. His work in string pedagogy earned him BYU's Joseph E. White Fellowship for Teaching and Learning, and Utah ASTA recognized him as "Higher Education Teacher of the Year" in 2005 and for "Outstanding Contributions to Music Education" in 2014.

Throughout his career, Dabczynski has held teaching positions at the Eastman School of Music and in public school districts across New York and Michigan, including serving as Supervisor of Fine Arts Education in Waterford, Michigan. A violist and chamber musician who performed with ensembles including the Rochester Philharmonic and the Colden String Quartet, he co-authored the String Explorer method series with Alfred. His scholarly interests in folk music and fiddling traditions have shaped his approach to composition and pedagogy alike.

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Why we love this

This waltz speaks to Dabczynski's deep roots in string pedagogy and folk tradition. The piece balances genuine musicality with accessibility, giving intermediate orchestras a work that sounds mature without requiring advanced technical demands. The optional harp or piano part adds color and warmth while allowing the conductor to scale the orchestration to ensemble size.

What to expect

Return to Waterford unfolds like a peaceful afternoon memory: unhurried, graceful, and tinged with affection. The flowing waltz meter and smooth legato writing create an intimate atmosphere that audiences recognize immediately as folk-rooted yet orchestrally refined.

Who it's for

Intermediate string orchestras seeking a concert or contest piece that combines melodic appeal with accessible yet rewarding technical writing. The work suits young players ready to refine legato bowing and phrasing while remaining engaging for more advanced musicians who appreciate the harmonic depth and nostalgic character.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody through breath-like phrasing rather than mechanical bowing. The waltz rhythm should feel conversational, not metronomic.
Balance the optional harp or piano accompaniment so it supports rather than covers the string lines. Test both options in rehearsal to match your ensemble's size and balance.
Encourage consistent vibrato across the section for that singing, legato quality. Even at this grade level, attention to vibrato warmth makes the waltz come alive.
Let the tempo breathe slightly at phrase endings. This tender character invites gentle rubato, especially in transitions between sections.

How to use it

Program this as a concert opener or closer to set a lyrical mood. It also works beautifully alongside contemporary string pieces or as part of a thematic program exploring American pastoral music and regional traditions.