Scarborough Fair: Viola
Arranged by Brian Balmages
Grade: 1
Item: 98-PC-DST6214_VA1
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Description
Extensive harmonies and soaring melodic lines contribute to this sensitive setting of the ever-popular song Scarborough Fair. The opening lines hint at the melancholy nature of the music, which eventually transforms into a rich sonority of sweeping harmonies and countermelodies. Although scored for beginners, the work is orchestrated so that advanced groups will enjoy playing it as well. Forever memorable!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Scarborough Fair: Viola comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Beginning Strings
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DST6214_VA1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has built a career as a composer and arranger whose work crosses orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal fluency. His compositions have reached stages from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to the Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles spanning from professional symphony orchestras to school programs. He is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, along with the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest win for Love and Light.
Balmages holds Distinguished Alumni honors from James Madison University's School of Visual and Performing Arts and was commissioned by the University of Miami to compose for the inauguration of its 6th president. His work has appeared in major national contexts, including the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. As a conductor, he maintains active guest conducting relationships with all-state ensembles, university orchestras, and professional groups worldwide. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages understands that a Grade 1 arrangement needs to serve two audiences at once: emerging players building confidence and experienced groups seeking genuine musical substance. This setting delivers on both counts, opening with restraint before blooming into the harmonically rich scoring that makes it rewarding for advanced ensembles. A folk standard arranged this way becomes a festival program builder that works across skill levels.
What to expect
The arrangement begins in quiet reflection, the opening phrases hovering with a touch of sadness before gradually enriching into lush, layered textures. As the piece develops, soaring melodic lines intertwine with supporting harmonies, creating a sense of emotional growth and warm sonority that honors the traditional melody while making it feel newly discovered.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the beginning levels will find this accessible both technically and musically, while advanced groups gain depth from the harmonic complexity and countermelodic writing. Festival and contest programs benefit from a work that sounds mature without requiring advanced technique.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening lines with gentle dynamic control to honor the melancholy character; avoid starting too loudly even though the scoring expands considerably.
- Balance the countermelodies against the primary melodic line as the piece transforms; dialogue between sections matters more than individual technical precision at this level.
- Let the sweeping harmonies breathe in the richer sections; resist the urge to rush when multiple voices move together.
How to use it
This arrangement fits naturally into folk song or multicultural concert segments where you want repertoire that appeals to audiences while remaining accessible to younger players. Its ability to succeed at both beginner and advanced levels makes it an ideal choice for all-school or family concert programs where mixed-level ensembles perform together.
Skills your students will build
- Balance within string textures with multiple independent lines
- Sustained tone production across longer phrases
- Dynamic control in the opening and transition sections
- Listening for and supporting countermelodies
- Reading multiple voice parts in concert arrangements