Ride the Wind: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
By Mark Wood
Grade: 3.5
Item: 00-PK-0008861
$50.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Ride the Wind: Score | $9.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: 1st Violin | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: 2nd Violin | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: Viola | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: Cello | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: String Bass | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: Guitar | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: Electric Bass | $3.00 | |
| Ride the Wind: Drums | $3.00 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Ride the Wind by Mark Wood showcases how pop/rock music fits perfectly with orchestras. The song starts with tremolo building into the downbeat---from a light breeze to a strong wind blowing and flying in the air. The middle section adds arpeggios and solos for the first violin, building up to a key change finale. This composition features soaring melodies and rockin' cellos and bass! For string orchestra with optional rock rhythm section parts. (2:40)
Download Play-Along Track
Download Play-Along Track
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Sample Audio
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Ride The Wind mix
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Ride The Wind mix
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Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Mark Wood Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PK-0008861
More about this title
About the Composer: Mark Wood
Mark Wood has spent four decades transforming what an orchestra can sound like by bringing rock and roll energy to the concert stage. As the pioneering electric violinist who co-founded Trans Siberian Orchestra, Wood sold millions of records while establishing himself as a world-class performer and innovator; he has since built a prolific career as a composer, recording artist, and music education advocate. His work spans film, television (including Emmy-winning Olympic coverage), and collaborations with artists like Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, and Celine Dion, all while maintaining a fierce commitment to bringing contemporary energy to classical ensembles.
Dubbed by PBS as the Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix of the violin world, Wood channels the electricity and passion of rock music into every composition he writes for string orchestras. His original sound, innovation across multiple musical genres, and YouTube presence of over 4 million views reflect an artist deeply invested in expanding the boundaries of what orchestral music can be. Whether performing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, or on the world's biggest stages, Wood remains committed to proving that strings and rock belong together.
Why we love this
This piece captures something most Grade 3.5 string orchestra repertoire avoids: genuine rock attitude without sacrificing orchestral integrity. The tremolo-to-downbeat opening is instantly engaging, and the key change finale gives your ensemble something genuinely exciting to build toward. Directors looking to program contemporary energy alongside traditional classics will find this hits exactly the right balance of accessibility and edge.
What to expect
From the first quiet tremolo, you feel anticipation building toward release. The music launches into soaring, confident melodies that sit naturally in the string orchestra voice, then pivots into a rhythmic intensity in the cello and bass lines that makes the ensemble feel like a real band. The key change finale sweeps everything upward, transforming the initial breeze into wind you can actually feel moving.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the intermediate level (Grade 3.5) who want to engage their students with contemporary repertoire that actually works for strings. This piece speaks to young musicians who listen to rock and pop outside rehearsal and deserve to play that energy in their orchestra.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening tremolo with clear dynamic control; let it genuinely feel like a breeze gathering into something more powerful by the downbeat.
- Isolate the first violin solos in the middle section during sectional rehearsals to ensure they sing above the arpeggios without rushing the figures.
- Use the play-along track during early rehearsals to lock the ensemble into the rock rhythm section feel; this genre sits differently in the body than traditional classical phrasing.
- Balance the "rockin' cellos and bass" by checking that lower strings have the rhythmic clarity and forward motion the style demands, not classical weight.
How to use it
Program this alongside a traditional classical work to demonstrate how orchestral strings adapt to contemporary genres, or use it as an opener or closer for a concert centered on modern composers. It works especially well as a confidence builder mid-season when students need a reminder that orchestra can be exhilarating.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained tremolo with dynamic control and release
- Playing with rhythmic precision in a rock/pop style context
- Balancing solo lines and accompaniment figures in a non-classical texture
- Key change awareness and ensemble cohesion through modulation
- Coordination with a rhythm section feel (optional rock parts)