Sahara Crossing: String Orchestra Conductor Score

$10.00 USD

Sahara Crossing: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Name: Sahara Crossing: String Orchestra Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-19557S
Price: 10.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Richard Meyer

Grade: 1

Item: 00-19557S

$10.00

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Take your students on a desert caravan in this fun and exciting piece written to introduce low first-finger notes (E-flat and B-flat). All students-even your more advanced players-will love the Far Eastern harmonic minor sound, complete with bouncing cello/bass accompaniment and parts for tambourine and finger cymbals. Very mature sounding, yet simple. A great teaching piece! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

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Series: Highland/Etling Strictly Strings

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 8

ISBN10: 1-4706-5278-1

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-5278-4

UPC: 038081183084

SKU: 00-19557S

More about this title

About the Composer: Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer brings three decades of classroom experience to his composition work, having spent 35 years teaching strings across elementary, middle, and high school levels in Southern California public schools. At Oak Avenue Intermediate School in Temple City, he transformed a program of 29 students into an ensemble of 200 while overseeing the city's elementary string curriculum. Beyond the classroom, Meyer directed the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra for 16 years and has guest-conducted All-State orchestras in multiple states, earning invitations to clinician roles at major conferences including the A.S.T.A. National Conference and Ohio State University's String Teachers' Workshops.

Meyer's "Giving Bach" initiative, launched in 2009, has gained national recognition for using interactive concerts to reach students with special needs and from underserved urban communities throughout Southern California. As a prolific composer with nearly 200 works in print, he served as string editor for Alfred Publishing Company for 16 years and co-authored the String Explorer Series and Sight-read It for Strings. He lives in Sierra Madre, California with his wife Rose.

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Why we love this

Meyer understands exactly what Grade 1 string students need to stay engaged while building fundamental skills. The harmonic minor color and percussive accompaniment create genuine orchestral atmosphere without overwhelming young players, making this piece as satisfying to perform as it is to hear.

What to expect

Exotic and rhythmically alive, with an evocative Far Eastern harmonic minor palette that transports listeners across a shimmering desert landscape. The bouncing cello and bass line combined with percussion creates motion and energy that feels far more sophisticated than the technical demands suggest.

Who it's for

String orchestra directors working with Grade 1 ensembles who want to introduce low first-finger technique through genuinely musical, engaging repertoire. Both developing and advanced players in the section will find something to sink their teeth into with the harmonic minor sound and layered parts.

How to get the most out of it

Isolate the low first-finger notes (E-flat and B-flat) in separate sectional rehearsals before combining with the full ensemble; this removes the pressure of learning new fingerings in context and builds confidence.
Let the tambourine and finger cymbal players establish the rhythmic pulse in early rehearsals. Their steady accompaniment becomes the musical foundation that supports the melodic voices.
Balance the bouncing cello and bass line so it drives the piece without overwhelming the upper voices. These players should feel like they're creating the "heartbeat" of the desert caravan.

How to use it

Program this as a fall concert opener to grab audience attention with something vibrant and unfamiliar, or pair it with more traditional Grade 1 repertoire to show the range of styles your students can tackle. It works equally well as a demonstration piece for recruiting or for showing parents what their young musicians are capable of achieving.