StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, Selections from: String Bass

This arrangement opens a door to repertoire your students already know and love, which means immediate engagement and genuine excitement about learning. Michael Story's orchestration respects the integrity of Hayes's original themes while making them accessible to intermediate ensembles, striking a balance between authenticity and playability. Programming video game music signals to your audience that your orchestra is current and culturally connected.

Sweeping and cinematic, with moments of reflective beauty and passages of driving intensity. The orchestration captures the epic scope of its source without losing the lyrical quality that made these themes memorable in their original context.

Intermediate string orchestras looking to expand beyond traditional classical and light classical fare while building student musicianship on engaging, recognizable material. This arrangement works well for ensembles comfortable with Grade 2.5 technical demands and interested in exploring how popular culture connects to legitimate orchestral writing.

• Balance the principal voices carrying the main themes against sustained accompaniment; the thematic material needs clarity so the audience hears what makes these moments iconic.
• Pay attention to articulation markings, especially in faster passages, as they define the propulsive energy characteristic of the source material.
• Use dynamic contrast to shape each theme's emotional arc; these pieces benefit from dramatic peaks and valleys rather than steady state playing.
• Coordinate with your conductor on cue placement so that transitions between the four selections feel seamless rather than fragmented.

Schedule this as part of a concert celebrating contemporary music, a film and games themed concert, or alongside other popular music arrangements to create programming that reflects your students' musical world. The four-minute duration allows flexible placement within a longer concert structure.

• Balancing principal melodic lines against harmonic support in complex textures
• Executing articulation patterns that define stylistic character
• Responding to dynamic contrast and shaping emotional narratives within extended pieces
• Maintaining ensemble cohesion across tempo changes and structural transitions