River Song: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$65.00 USD

River Song: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: River Song: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-50855
Price: 65.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 3

Item: 00-50855

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River Song, by Richard Meyer, is an excellent way for your students to develop their legato playing. The original folk-like melody is gently passed from section to section (even the Basses are featured!), giving the piece the feel of a slow journey of discovery down a sleepy, isolated waterway. The piece includes some simple shifting into upper positions for violin 1, cello, and bass and interesting and imaginative accompaniments throughout. Perfect as a second piece for your next festival or contest program and a wonderful change-of-mood selection for any concert. (3:20)

The PerformancePlus+ series is an innovative addition to the ever-expanding MakeMusic Cloud interactive library. These engaging selections are presented with educational resources designed to enrich the rehearsal process and create outstanding performances. Including:

Assignment, recording, and assessment tools within MakeMusic Cloud
Piece-specific exercises focused on skills and techniques
Educational tips and suggestions to support learning

Available in print and digital formats.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, River Song: 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 Orchestra - PerformancePlus+

Publisher: Alfred Music

ISBN10: 1-4706-6819-X

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6819-8

UPC: 038081587066

SKU: 00-50855

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer has spent over three decades in string education, directing orchestras at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, California, where he expanded the program from 29 students to 200, and overseeing the city's elementary string curriculum. His work extends beyond the classroom: he led the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years, taking ensembles to perform in New York, Washington D.C., Vienna, Australia, and Canada, and he founded the "Giving Bach" program, which uses interactive concerts to reach special needs and underserved students throughout Southern California.

As a composer and arranger, Meyer has published over 190 works and served as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company for 16 years. He has been a featured clinician at the A.S.T.A. National Conference, the Texas Orchestra Directors' Association Conference, and string workshops at Ohio State University and other institutions. Meyer is also the co-author of the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings.

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Why we love this

River Song succeeds because it treats legato playing as a musical priority, not a technique exercise. The melody migrates through every section of the orchestra (including basses, which students rarely get to lead), creating genuine reasons for each group to sing their parts with intention and warmth.

What to expect

River Song has the unhurried quality of a folk melody unfolding across still water. The gentle passing of the theme from section to section feels like a journey of discovery, with each group contributing to a larger sense of movement and continuity. The accompaniment textures are imaginative without distracting, creating an intimate, lyrical soundscape that invites listening.

Who it's for

Grade 3 string orchestras preparing for festival or contest programs, or ensembles seeking repertoire that deepens legato skills without overwhelming developing musicians. Directors want a piece that changes the emotional temperature of a concert and showcases how young string players can create sustained, singing lines.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melodic line as it passes between sections. Each group should feel responsible for propelling the phrase forward smoothly, not simply playing their entrance.
Balance the accompaniment textures carefully so they support the melody without overwhelming it. These imaginative figures are most effective when they recede slightly.
Introduce the violin 1 shifting into upper positions during sectional rehearsals, isolating the specific measures before adding them back into the full texture.
Use the PerformancePlus+ resources within MakeMusic Cloud to reinforce legato concept and shifting technique. The piece-specific exercises target exactly what your students need.

How to use it

Program River Song as a second selection following a more energetic opening piece, taking advantage of its meditative character to reset the concert's mood and pace. It works particularly well in the middle of a longer program where audiences benefit from a moment of reflection, or as a solo festival entry that demonstrates musicality and ensemble cohesion at the Grade 3 level.

Skills your students will build

Sustained legato playing across phrases
Shifting into upper positions (violin 1, cello, bass)
Melodic leadership and awareness of when the main line transfers to their section
Balance and accompaniment texture differentiation
Listening for smooth section-to-section transitions