Romp for String Orchestra and "Celebrity" Triangulist: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Romp sparkles with playfulness and unpretentious fun. The strings dance around a cheerful, accessible melody while the triangle brings personality and personality in equal measure. It's the kind of piece that makes an audience smile before the first note sounds.

String orchestras looking for a showpiece that serves double duty as community engagement and fundraiser. Works at the middle school level and above, and welcomes the involvement of administrators, board members, parents, or other school figures willing to take on the triangle part.

• Secure your triangle soloist well in advance and schedule a rehearsal where they can practice their part with the orchestra. Even accomplished musicians may be unfamiliar with balancing their sound within a string texture.
• Keep the strings light and rhythmically sharp; the piece's charm depends on a bright, energetic accompaniment that doesn't overshadow the triangle's natural voice.
• Consider the visual element. Position your triangle player where the audience can see them clearly, either center stage or prominently to one side.

Place this near the end of a concert where it can serve as a palate cleanser or finale. Its novelty and inclusive spirit work beautifully after heavier, more serious repertoire. Many directors have successfully used it as a fundraising concert centerpiece, inviting audience members to bid for the honor of being the soloist.

• Maintaining rhythmic precision while accompanying a non-string soloist
• Balancing ensemble texture to feature a single percussion instrument
• Executing light articulation and lift in supporting passages