Subterranean Dance: Piano Accompaniment
By Bob Phillips
Grade: 1.5
Item: 00-PC-0000932_K
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Description
"Subterranean Dance" provides a fun-to-play, exciting tune using the low strings of each instrument -- a great teaching piece! The violas and cellos will explore the bottom reaches of the C and G strings. Not to be left out, the upper strings take the melody, transposed up a fifth, on their D and G strings. Entirely in first position with easy finger patterns, "Subterranean Dance" will be a sure fire winner with students and their parents! 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, Subterranean Dance: 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:
Highland/Etling String Explorer
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
72
SKU:
00-PC-0000932_K
More about this title
About the Composer: Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips is a composer, pedagogue, and conductor who has shaped string education through innovative large-group instruction and stylistically diverse repertoire. His 25+ instructional series (including Sound Innovations and the eclectic Philharmonic collections) are performed by thousands of students annually, and his 200+ published works for orchestras and bands have earned ASCAP recognition and regular performance at the Midwest Clinic.
Over 27 years in Saline, Michigan, Phillips built a string program that grew to more than 700 students and became a national model for excellence in both classical and contemporary styles. He founded the Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic, which performed internationally more than 80 times yearly, and has conducted all-state and honors orchestras across the country, including residencies at Interlochen, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and as a 12-year conductor and arranger for the Wintergrass Festival in Seattle.
Why we love this
This piece proves that first-position playing need not be dull. Phillips writes a melody that's genuinely fun to play, with upper strings carrying the tune while lower strings get their own satisfying part in the register where many students feel most comfortable. Parents hear something engaging and well-crafted; students feel the success of playing a real ensemble piece without stretch demands.
What to expect
"Subterranean Dance" has the character of a discovery: the lower strings rumble with purposeful energy, creating a sense of exploring something just beneath the surface, while the upper strings dance lightly above the foundation. The piece moves with infectious forward momentum without requiring pyrotechnics.
Who it's for
This score and parts set is ideal for conductors building a Grade 1.5 string orchestra with mixed ability levels. The entirely first-position approach makes it accessible to students still developing left-hand facility while the split-register writing ensures all voices stay engaged and contribute something meaningful.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody on the D and G strings of violins and violas against the lower-string foundation by placing your stronger readers on the upper part initially, then rotating roles.
- Keep the cellos and basses locked together rhythmically; their support of the harmonic foundation depends on precise rhythmic control rather than bow independence.
- Use the straightforward fingering patterns as an opportunity to focus rehearsal time on intonation and tone quality rather than technical problem-solving.
- Shape the phrasing across the entire ensemble rather than within individual lines; this teaches students to listen beyond their own part.
How to use it
This works beautifully as an early-season concert opener once ensemble fundamentals are in place, or as a confidence builder before tackling pieces with higher position work. It also pairs well alongside folk-inspired or stylistically diverse concert themes, given Phillips' expertise in eclectic string writing.
Skills your students will build
- Playing on lower string registers (C string on cello and viola, G string on bass) with secure intonation
- Transposition awareness (upper strings play a fifth above lower strings)
- Part independence and listening while maintaining rhythmic cohesion
- First-position finger patterns and secure left-hand placement