The Thing Under The Bed: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Bernofsky delivers genuine fun without sacrificing musical substance. The piece walks a delicate line between unsettling chromatic writing and comic timing that lands because the orchestration is genuinely clever, not dumbed down. It's the kind of work that stays in your program's memory because the audience genuinely laughs at the right moments, and your students remember how to build tension through a single chromatic line.

You start in darkness, unsure what's lurking. The chromatic opening feels genuinely unsettling, but then the 'thing' arrives and immediately reveals itself as more bumbling than threatening. It's like opening a closet door to find not a monster, but something comically inept trying to be frightening, all the while accompanied by strings that shift between eerie and ridiculous with impeccable timing.

String orchestras at the intermediate level looking to program something that engages audiences without relying on war horses. Directors seeking contest or festival repertoire that showcases musicianship through character writing rather than virtuosity alone.

• Treat the opening chromatic passage like a character introduction rather than a technical exercise; clarity and deliberate pacing matter more than rushing through the pitches.
• Balance the 'clumsy' moments with precision in the ensemble. The whimsy lands hardest when rhythmic entrances are locked, giving the intentional awkwardness of the writing room to breathe.
• Let the younger string players voice what they find funny about their parts. When they understand the humor, their phrasing becomes more intentional and the piece plays better.
• Use dynamics and articulation shifts to underscore the contrast between 'spooky' and 'silly.' Those transitions are where the comedy lives.

Program this as a set break or encore where the contrast to surrounding repertoire heightens its impact. It works equally well as a novelty contest entry where judges appreciate compositional craft applied to humor, or as a mid-season morale booster that reminds young musicians why they love playing together.

• Playing unison chromatic lines with clarity and ensemble blend
• Sustaining tension through ensemble coordination during spooky passages
• Responding to rapid mood shifts and dynamic changes
• Expressing character and humor through articulation and phrasing choices
• Understanding how orchestration and humor work together in composition