Seesaw: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Melodious Ups and Downs
By Steven H. Brook
Grade: 2
Item: 00-PK-0007068
$46.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Seesaw: Score | $9.00 | |
| Seesaw: 1st Violin | $5.99 | |
| Seesaw: 2nd Violin | $5.99 | |
| Seesaw: 3rd Violin (Viola [TC]) | $5.99 | |
| Seesaw: Viola | $5.99 | |
| Seesaw: Cello | $5.99 | |
| Seesaw: String Bass | $5.99 |
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
The perfect technical piece for developing tone, listening skills, string crossings, smooth bow changes, and independence; as well as celebrating beautiful days at a park as melodies and dynamics move up and down between sections, as on a seesaw.
The lines of music that the various instruments have weave up and down across each other as friendships weave throughout our lives. Imagine a leisurely day at the park, perhaps on a seesaw, and ponder this poem by the composer, Steven H. Brook.
While pleasant breezes grace the sky, and clouds of joy drift gently by, our friendship bonds, we learn to play---and now, with you, we share today. (2:00)
The lines of music that the various instruments have weave up and down across each other as friendships weave throughout our lives. Imagine a leisurely day at the park, perhaps on a seesaw, and ponder this poem by the composer, Steven H. Brook.
While pleasant breezes grace the sky, and clouds of joy drift gently by, our friendship bonds, we learn to play---and now, with you, we share today. (2:00)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Seesaw: 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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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Intermediate String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
72
SKU:
00-PK-0007068
More about this title
About the Composer: Steven H. Brook
Steven H. Brook writes music that connects to the lives of student musicians. His pieces for string orchestra focus on building technical facility while grounding the experience in narrative or imagery that makes rehearsal time feel purposeful and human.
Why we love this
Brook nails the Grade 2 sweet spot: musical enough to engage serious young players, but structured to isolate and strengthen the technical foundations that matter most. The seesaw concept keeps rehearsals playful while the weaving melodic lines create natural motivation for section independence and listening skills that transfer immediately to more complex repertoire.
What to expect
Gentle and unhurried, like an afternoon suspended in pleasant company. The melodies drift upward and downward between sections in a manner that feels conversational rather than competitive, creating moments of genuine musical dialogue that young players can feel as they play.
Who it's for
Grade 2 string orchestras seeking a piece that teaches fundamental skills without feeling like a technical exercise. Directors programming mixed-level concerts will find this accessible enough for developing ensembles yet musically substantial enough to hold the attention of more experienced listeners.
How to get the most out of it
- Isolate the phrase-trading passages between upper and lower strings in sectionals before combining full ensemble; clarity here makes the seesaw effect audible rather than muddy.
- Work string crossings slowly with focus on bow control through the transition; rushing these moves undoes the smooth bow changes the piece is designed to develop.
- Shape the dynamic rises and falls deliberately and together; avoid letting individual sections inflate their tone when they have a melodic line, as the piece's architecture depends on collective balance.
How to use it
Pair this with a contrasting faster piece to showcase range and growth throughout the year. It works especially well mid-concert as a brief pause in energy, or as an excellent choice for student conductors learning to shape sustained lines and manage independent voice movement.
Skills your students will build
- String crossings with smooth bow transitions
- Sustained tone production and tone matching across the section
- Listening for independent melodic lines while maintaining blend
- Dynamic control within sustained passages
- Reading and executing dynamic shaping over longer phrases