The Ferris Wheel: PianoTrax Digital Audio Download

$9.99 USD

The Ferris Wheel: PianoTrax Digital Audio Download

Words and music by Andy Beck

Item: 00-A-00016072

$9.99

Digital Download

The Ferris Wheel: PianoTrax Digital Audio Download isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.

No sample pages found.

No sample videos found.

Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

SKU: 00-A-00016072

More about this title

About the Composer: Andy Beck

Andy Beck directs choral publications at Alfred Music and has composed and arranged more than 450 works for choirs, vocalists, and young singers. His educational resources, including Sing at First Sight, Foundations in Choral Sight Singing, and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-Ups That Teach Technique, have shaped how singers across the country learn to read music and develop their voices. A tenor himself, he performs regularly with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir and continues a long career as an Alfred studio vocalist.

Beck serves regularly as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for honor choirs and all-state groups, particularly throughout the Southeast. His commissions and appearances at regional and national music education conferences reflect the respect he commands within the choral field. With degrees from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University, he remains dedicated to advancing music literacy and choral artistry through both the music he writes and the publications he shepherds at Alfred.

Show moreShow less

Why we love this

Beck writes with a clear understanding of what singers want to perform: music that's rhythmically engaging, melodically memorable, and genuinely fun without sacrificing musicality. The inclusion of a professional recorded accompaniment means your students hear the exact voicing and phrasing they should aim for, accelerating rehearsal efficiency and building confidence.

What to expect

The Ferris Wheel captures the lighthearted energy and gentle motion of the carnival ride itself. The piece feels uplifting and playful, with harmonic movement that keeps things interesting while remaining firmly grounded in a style singers find satisfying to produce.

Who it's for

This octavo works for middle school, high school, and adult community choirs seeking secular concert repertoire that's accessible without being simplistic. Singers appreciate that it's genuinely entertaining to perform, and directors appreciate that it requires real musicianship without excessive technical demands.

How to get the most out of it

Study the recorded accompaniment first to establish the harmonic language and the intended tempo. Your choir will lock in faster when everyone hears the same musical foundation.
Isolate any rhythmic syncopation or metric shifts and drill those passages as a section before singing with the full arrangement. Beck's harmonic progressions reward precise ensemble timing.
Shape the melody line with the dynamic arc the accompaniment suggests. The recording model demonstrates how phrasing and dynamics interact across all four parts.
Encourage your singers to listen to the bass line and inner voices on the recording. This builds independence and helps them understand how their part relates to the whole sound.

How to use it

Use this as a pops or light concert opener that engages the audience immediately, or position it on a mixed concert to provide an entertaining contrast to more serious work. Its accessibility and recorded accompaniment make it valuable for contest festivals where you want a well-executed, audience-friendly selection that doesn't consume excessive rehearsal time.