This Land is Your Land: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$40.00 USD

This Land is Your Land: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: This Land is Your Land: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-50250197
Price: 40.00 USD
Availability: InStock

For String Orchestra and Piano

By Woody Guthrie / arr. Ethan Epple

Grade: 1

Item: 36-50250197

$40.00

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Audiences will tap their toes and sing along to This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie as Ethen Epple's level 1 arrangement conceptually covers: staccato, pizzicato, detaché, syncopation, and a key change --- moving seamlessly from D major to A major. Ethen Epple's version of This Land Is Your Land must be in your library for Veterans Day, Flag Day, the 4th of July, or just because joyful Americana rounds out your next concert. (1:30)

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This Land is Your Land (easy version) for Strings and Piano

Series: LudwigMasters Beginning Strings

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

UPC: 735816169596

SKU: 36-50250197

Instrumentation: String Orchestra, Ensemble Works

More about this title

About the Composer: Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) was an American folk singer and songwriter whose music became the soundtrack of the American labor movement and civil rights era. Born in Oklahoma, Guthrie wrote and performed thousands of songs that captured the experiences of working people, migrants, and the economically displaced, making him one of the most influential figures in American folk music and a direct ancestor to modern protest song.

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Why we love this

This arrangement captures the spirit of Guthrie's anthem without overwhelming young players. Ethan Epple's orchestration introduces fundamental string techniques within a piece students already recognize, turning a cultural touchstone into a teaching moment that feels organic rather than didactic.

What to expect

Straightforward and earnest, with the warmth of a song sung together rather than performed at an audience. The syncopated rhythms give it forward momentum and a conversational ease that invites audiences into the tune, while the key change provides a moment of brightness that feels earned rather than showy.

Who it's for

Beginning string orchestras in grades 3-5 will find this piece accessible without feeling simplified. Directors programming patriotic concerts or community celebrations will appreciate a folk standard that resonates with audiences of all ages while remaining well-suited to Level 1 reading levels.

How to get the most out of it

Anchor the pizzicato sections with a steady pulse from your cellists and basses; young players often rush when plucking strings, so count clearly through these passages.
Balance the staccato articulations across all four sections so the opening has rhythmic clarity without sounding fragmented or tentative.
The key change from D major to A major should feel like a lift, not a disruption. Rehearse the transition with explicit attention to intonation in both keys before putting them together.
Let the detaché bowing find its natural weight in your rehearsals rather than over-correcting; young strings often stiffen when asked to detach, so model a flowing stroke that simply separates notes.

How to use it

Program this for Veterans Day, Memorial Day, or Independence Day concerts alongside other Americana fare, or use it as a bridge piece that connects classical repertoire to American folk traditions. Its 1:30 length makes it ideal for opening a concert or punctuating a themed set without consuming rehearsal time needed for longer works.