The Wexford Carol: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$70.00 USD

The Wexford Carol: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: The Wexford Carol: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-50697
Price: 70.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Traditional Irish Carol / arr. Katie O'Hara LaBrie

Grade: 4

Item: 00-50697

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This traditional Irish carol opens with a solo for cello or violin (or soli for both) over a distant drone. The tune weaves throughout each section amidst beautiful countermelodies and simple meter changes. After a glorious key change, the music moves to a delicate close. An optional harp part adds color. The Wexford Carol, arranged by Katie O'Hara LaBrie, is guaranteed to be a stunning addition to your winter program or any time of year. (4:00)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Wexford Carol: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Series: MakeMusic Symphony Strings

Publisher: MakeMusic Publications

ISBN10: 1-4706-6050-4

ISBN13: 978-1-4706-6050-5

UPC: 038081577302

SKU: 00-50697

More about this title

About the Composer: Katie O'Hara LaBrie

Katie O'Hara LaBrie is a composer, conductor, and cellist based in Northern Virginia whose work bridges creative ambition with classroom practicality. She spent 15 years as an orchestra educator in Fairfax County before establishing herself as a prolific composer whose pieces regularly earn J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice honors and performances at major clinics including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Directors Conference and ASTA conventions. In 2022, Yamaha recognized her as one of their "40 Under 40" for her impact on music education.

LaBrie studied music education at St. Olaf College and earned her Master's degree in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University. Her compositions draw inspiration from family, nature, and her years in the classroom; she consistently prioritizes creating music that sounds beautiful, engages audiences, and genuinely excites the students playing it. She founded the Fairfax Chamber Players and co-developed "the Big IDEA" practice method, reflecting her commitment to purposeful music-making. She lives in Fairfax with her husband Joe, also a music educator, and their son Liam.

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Why we love this

The Wexford Carol succeeds because it treats a familiar melody as a vehicle for genuine orchestration rather than a simple runthrough. The drone foundation, the strategic placement of soli, the countermelodies woven through each section, and the key change all add depth without overwhelming a Grade 4 ensemble. Directors appreciate that this arrangement respects both the carol's heritage and the capabilities of developing players.

What to expect

The piece unfolds with the quiet beauty of candlelit space and tradition. Opening with that solo line floating over a distant harmonic foundation creates an almost liturgical calm; as the tune passes between sections and countermelodies emerge, a sense of gentle movement builds. The key change arrives like stepping into warmth, and the delicate closing feels like a held breath.

Who it's for

String orchestras at the intermediate level (Grade 4) looking for holiday repertoire with genuine musical substance. This works equally well for ensembles seeking a traditional carol that avoids oversimplification and offers rewarding parts for every section.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the opening solo (cello, violin, or both) so it projects clearly against the underlying drone; this moment sets the piece's intimate character and deserves rehearsal focus
Shape the meter changes as natural phrases rather than disruptions; marking them in parts and conducting them clearly prevents rhythmic stumbling
Use the optional harp part if available; its textural contribution transforms the closing and deepens the seasonal atmosphere
Approach the key change as a moment of expansion; slight tempo flexibility and dynamic lift here creates the promised "glorious" feel without losing control

How to use it

Program this as the emotional anchor of a winter concert, positioning it between more energetic pieces to give both audience and players a moment of reflection. Its four-minute span also makes it an elegant closer for a holiday set, or pair it with other traditional carols arranged for different ensembles to create a thematic concert segment.