Strolling: Piano Accompaniment
By Ralph Ford
Grade: 2.5
Item: 00-PC-0015947_K
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Description
Perform this rhythmic piece from the mindset of taking a wandering but brisk walk, perhaps on a crisp fall day. The sense of forward motion in the piece will delight young players. All parts get the opportunity to practice chromatic alterations. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Strolling: Piano Accompaniment 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 Beginning String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
76
SKU:
00-PC-0015947_K
More about this title
About the Composer: Ralph Ford
Ralph Ford has spent nearly three decades teaching music at the university level while building an prolific output as a composer and arranger. His career spans multiple creative domains: he has worked extensively in broadcast and media production, earned recognition for advertising compositions and animation, and maintained a steady stream of commissions from school, community, military, and professional ensembles worldwide.
As an exclusive composer and arranger for the Belwin division of Alfred Music, Ford has created over 250 titles across orchestra, concert band, jazz ensemble, and marching band. His foundation in arrangement began at age fifteen and deepened through his undergraduate years at Troy State University, where he served as jazz ensemble director and staff arranger before joining the faculty. He earned his Master of Science degree in 1988 and has since balanced full-time composition with media work that includes live radio, television production, recording sessions, and digital content creation.
Why we love this
Young string orchestras need pieces that showcase rhythmic energy without demanding technical virtuosity, and Strolling delivers exactly that. Ford's approach to chromatic writing keeps all section leaders engaged with meaningful material while the forward momentum keeps the ensemble locked into a clear pulse, making it rewarding to teach and satisfying to perform.
What to expect
A crisp autumn walk where each step lands with quiet purpose. The piece pulses forward with steady, unhurried energy, inviting players to imagine themselves moving through the season with intention. Chromatic colors emerge like changing foliage, giving way to moments of harmonic richness that suggest the natural world in transition.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the Grade 2.5 level who have solid fundamental skills and are ready to explore musical character and ensemble balance. This piece engages every section with its own musical ideas while remaining accessible enough that rehearsal time focuses on musicianship rather than technical problem-solving.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the brisk walking tempo early in rehearsal and maintain it consistently; the rhythmic clarity depends on steadiness rather than speeding up through excitement.
- Balance the chromatic alterations by listening closely to intonation adjustments in each part; these small pitch shifts define the piece's character and deserve careful listening.
- Let the sense of wandering come from slight flexibility in phrase shapes rather than tempo variation; gentle vibrato and dynamic shaping will suggest a casual stroll without losing forward motion.
- Encourage all players to feel they are walking together as an ensemble, not following a conductor's beat; this mindset creates the cohesion and confidence that makes the piece sound mature.
How to use it
Strolling works beautifully as an opening concert selection that establishes ensemble warmth and rhythmic precision, or as a contrast piece between heavier, more dramatic repertoire. Its approachable length and character make it ideal for festival performance or as a springboard into more complex contemporary works.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing chromatic alterations in context
- Maintaining rhythmic precision and forward motion at moderate tempo
- Balancing intonation adjustments within harmonic progressions
- Contributing individual musical voice within ensemble texture