Serendipity Suite: Viola

Meyer taps into something directors rarely address head-on: the need for every section to feel valued and celebrated. By building an entire suite around individual string sections, each with character and spotlight moments, he creates a natural recruiting tool and ensemble morale booster that actually works musically rather than feeling gimmicky. The writing is sophisticated enough for your ensemble to sound impressive while remaining accessible at Grade 3.

Playful and purposeful. The suite moves with spring and humor, from the spirited energy of Fit as a Fiddle through the lyrical warmth of Sol-La Viola and Cello Pudding, landing in the resonant depth of Oasis for Basses. Each movement celebrates its instruments with genuine affection rather than mockery, creating moments where young musicians feel genuinely heard.

String orchestra conductors seeking repertoire that simultaneously builds section pride and strengthens ensemble cohesion. This works equally well for festival programming and recruiting concerts where you want both student musicians and prospective members to feel the energy of a healthy string program.

• Bring out the personality in each movement by allowing conductors to shape the character pieces with distinct tempo and articulation. Each section deserves its own interpretive voice.
• Balance the orchestration so that the featured section in each movement sits forward without drowning out the supportive harmonies. This requires careful mixing during rehearsals.
• Use these pieces as rehearsal confidence builders by running full-orchestra sound checks with each movement back-to-back, letting students hear how the suite builds momentum.

Program this as a standalone suite on a recruiting or winter concert to make a statement about your string program's personality and inclusivity. The four connected movements work beautifully as a complete set, but you could also extract individual pieces to spotlight different sections throughout your concert season.

• Playing as a featured section while maintaining ensemble balance
• Executing rhythmic precision in contrasting tempos and textures
• Responding to articulation and dynamic changes that define character
• Building confidence in solo and exposed passage work within a supportive ensemble context