The Best of First Year Pops for String Orchestra, Volume 1 Cover Image

The Best of First Year Pops for String Orchestra, Volume 1: Viola Book

$6.95 USD
$6.95 USD
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The Best of First Year Pops for String Orchestra, Volume 1 Cover Image
The Best of First Year Pops for String Orchestra, Volume 1: Viola Book

The Best of First Year Pops for String Orchestra, Volume 1: Viola Book

Arr. Bob Cerulli

Item: 00-EL9672
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Description
Titles include: Fun, Fun, Fun * Georgia on My Mind * Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas * Joy to the World * Linus and Lucy * Little Drummer Boy * Over the Rainbow * Peter Gunn * The Pink Panther * Proud Mary * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer * Theme from New York, New York and more.

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Additional Details
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 16
ISBN10: 0-7692-6646-0
ISBN13: 978-0-7692-6646-6
UPC: 029156204056
SKU: 00-EL9672
Instrumentation: Viola

More about this title

About the Arranger: Bob Cerulli

Bob Cerulli

Bob Cerulli earned degrees from three respected institutions: the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied double bass under Roger Scott; the University of the Arts, where he completed his music education studies; and the College of New Jersey, where he pursued conducting. His performance career spanned orchestral, chamber, and popular music contexts, including principal bass positions with the Greater Trenton Symphony, New Jersey Capital Philharmonic Orchestra, and Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as time with the Buffalo Philharmonic under Josef Kripps.

Cerulli's collaborative work extended to Broadway touring, studio recording with popular artists, television performance on The Mike Douglas Show, and performances alongside composers and artists including Henry Mancini, Bill Conte, Michel LeGrand, Marvin Hamlish, Luciano Pavarotti, and Andrea Bocelli. His own compositions include Celebration, performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Romance in D Major for cello and piano. He taught music in public schools for 29 years and currently serves as Senior Adjunct Professor at Rowan College at Burlington County, where he has conducted orchestral performances and reading sessions at regional music festivals.

Why we love this

This collection brings genuine fun to the string orchestra without sacrificing musicianship. Cerulli's orchestrations respect the viola section by giving them active, engaging material rather than relegating them to harmonic padding, which means your violas stay invested throughout rehearsal and performance.

What to expect

These arrangements sparkle with the charm of beloved melodies transformed into full string orchestration. The mix of holiday favorites, jazz classics, and pop standards creates a program that feels fresh and accessible, inviting audiences into music they already know and love while offering string players a chance to shine in ensemble contexts.

Who it's for

This book is designed for intermediate string orchestras and first-year students ready to engage with popular standards and familiar tunes beyond method books. Viola players at the Grade 2-4 level will find parts that are musically satisfying without excessive technical demands.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the melody and inner voices carefully, since violas often carry counter-melodies in these arrangements; let your section lead when they have the tune, and pull back when the violins take over.
  • Lock rhythmic precision with the cellos and basses on syncopated figures like those in Proud Mary; a unified low section makes the entire orchestra sound tighter.
  • Shape phrases by following the natural arc of familiar melodies, even if the harmony underneath feels lighter than classical pieces your students know; treat melodic support lines with the same care you would give to a solo line.

How to use it

This collection works beautifully as a standalone pop or pops concert, or you can select individual movements to intersperse with classical repertoire for variety within a traditional concert program. The shorter length and recognizable titles also make it ideal for community outreach performances where audience engagement matters as much as musical substance.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing inner voice lines and counter-melodies in a full ensemble
  • Sight-reading across a range of musical styles and song forms
  • Rhythmic precision in syncopated and jazz-influenced passages
  • Dynamic control and phrasing in non-classical contexts
  • Ensemble awareness and responsiveness to melodic shifts between sections

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